Final Fantasy 7: The Story 2nd Instalment
by Emerald Princess of Vernea
Summary: The second instalment of a complete novelisation of Final Fantasy VII. This instalment covers Costa del Sol to the Northern Cave. See Instalments 1 and 3 for the rest of the story. Please read and review!
1. Part 05: Chapter 01

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

Welcome to _Final Fantasy 7: The Story 2nd Instalment_! The second instalment in this novelisation of the Final Fantasy 7 game. This fic begins where the first instalment leaves off, when Cloud and the gang are on their way to Gongaga after completing the Gold Saucer arc.

For those of you who have just found this fic, I would recommend that you go to my profile and locate _Final Fantasy 7: The Story_ for the first instalment, which goes through the game from Midgar to the end of the Gold Saucer arc, before reading this second instalment, otherwise you will miss a heck of a lot and miss out on a lot of the fun. On the other hand, if you are so familiar with the game (or you just can't be bothered), you can start here. This second instalment should be about the same length as the first one. I haven't decided where it will end yet – with any luck, it will be at the end of Disc 01. Well, enough of my blabbering, let's move on and enjoy _Final Fantasy 7: The Story 2nd Instalment_

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**_DISCLAIMER_ **

Emerald, Princess of Vernea does not own Final Fantasy 7 and is not associated with it or its creators in anyway. This is a novelisation of the text (writing up these things is a hobby), and Emerald only lays claim to the written form and original dialogue that does not appear in the game. Everything else is copyrighted to Squaresoft, the creators of Final Fantasy 7.

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

Emerald Princess of Vernea

Part Five: Study of the Planet

Chapter One

After a full hour of driving in the late afternoon, Cloud and the gang finally reached the southern part of the Western Continent – the only way to cross to the far Western part of the continent.

Thanks to the buggy given to them by the Gold Saucer theme park as an 'apology' for wrongly locking them up in the Desert Prison, the journey had become much quicker and a whole lot easier. With the buggy's specially designed track wheels they had been able to cross the desert surrounding the Gold Saucer with ease, the pits of quicksand unable to get a hold of them and pull them down.

The buggy also came in handy after they crossed the rest of the continent, heading southwards once again in their on-going pursuit of Sephiroth. Another large river separated the continent, so wide it would have been impossible to cross on foot, but the buggy allowed them to cross the river easily, with only spray flying up from the wheels as it rode over, splashing them all with cool water.

Aeris drove most of the way, feeling glad to be doing something and allowing the others to take a rest as they drove on. She had guided them out of the desert and across the river despite offers from Cloud to take over. It was only after they had crossed the river and were driving freely down the Forest Plains that Aeris allowed Tifa to take over control of the buggy, while she went to the back of the vehicle and sat with Cloud and Red XIII. Yuffie was sitting on top of the buggy, perched on the back of the seats. She looked a little pale, even just riding in a buggy, but was also enjoying the feeling of the breeze through her short hair.

Apart from the moments when Cloud had offered to take over the driving of the buggy, he had been silent throughout the journey. As the buggy had hummed along the plains he had been sat with his back resting against the back of the buggy, with Dio's letter still in his hand. He had read the letter over and over again, or, in particular, the last part of the letter where Dio talked of seeing Sephiroth.

For some reason it bothered him that Sephiroth had been to the Gold Saucer. Although Sephiroth had not been responsible for any of the deaths caused there, it was still a wonder to him why he had been there in the first place. The Gold Saucer was simply a theme park and had nothing to do with their search – going to the Gold Saucer had just been a mere coincidence in an attempt to lighten their journey and lift everyone's mood, despite its unpredicted consequences.

While the light-hearted chitchat went on in the background, namely Aeris's casual comments about Barret's behaviour in the Desert Prison, Cloud continued to read the last part of the letter, and Dio's remark of Sephiroth having fans. Back in the days before Nibelheim fell, Sephiroth had had a lot of fans, especially with boys Cloud's age. Of course, when Sephiroth disappeared after that, Shinra had done its best to keep it all covered up. Not many people knew what Sephiroth had done, especially since there were very few survivors from then. A lot of people still remembered and admired Sephiroth. Everyone else just didn't talk about.

"There it is," called Tifa from the driving seat.

Cloud looked up, scrunching up the letter and shoving it roughly in his pocket, before he climbed to his knees and knelt with Aeris and Red XIII, looking out at the place where they were arriving.

Up ahead of them was a fairly small forest, identified on the world map as 'Gongaga'. Even though the forest was fairly dense and compact, they could just about see the tops of a tall black structure poking up through the trees. They couldn't see much of it at first through the growth of trees, but as they drove closer it soon became clear what the unnatural, eyesore-of-a-structure was.

"A Mako reactor," Cloud muttered under his breath.

The group fell silent for a minute as they watched the reactor come into view. Of course they couldn't see the whole of the reactor, although they knew that the small town of Gongaga would also be in the middle of the forest. They were surprised, however, to see that the forest and the land surrounding the reactor was still rather lush and verdant. There were faint traces of grey here and there, but green grass was quickly growing over that.

They were forced to come to a stop at the entrance of the forest, right next to a small path leading into the forest. It was much too small for the buggy to ride through, so they had no choice but to part the buggy as close as they could to the forest's edge before they went inside.

The forest was just as silent on the inside as it appeared on the outside. There were no other signs of life other than that of the trees and plants – no birds chirping, no scurrying animals. In fact, apart from the sounds of their footsteps lightly pressing on dirt and fallen twigs, and the occasional breeze fluttering through the leaves of the trees, it was silent. There was only one path to follow and so they followed it, hoping it would lead them to Gongaga.

They were a few minutes into the forest when Cloud suddenly stopped right in the middle of the path. He raised a hand to the others as an order to stay silent, before he turned back to the path ahead of them, which curved around slightly behind a clump of trees and bushes, preventing him from seeing.

There, just under the silence of the forest, came the sounds of faint noises. They were very quiet, almost like whispers, but definitely audible through the silence of the trees.

"…Is someone there?" Cloud whispered, also keeping his voice low.

The others all kept themselves to the side out of sight as Cloud slowly edged forwards towards the curve, trying to peer round the corner without being spotted himself. He edged in as close as he dared, before he looked out at the figure beyond.

Just around the corner from where they were, Cloud saw that the road they were following suddenly split into two: one road continuing ahead with a small sign saying 'Gongaga' ahead of it, and a second road moving to the right, presumably to the Mako Reactor.

Standing at the entrance to that fork were two men – men that Cloud unfortunately realised. The trademark blue uniforms and black shades; there was no doubt that they were Reno and Rude of the Turks. Cloud remembered the last time they had encountered Reno, back in Midgar. It was by Reno's hand that the bomb used to destroy the Sector 7 pillar was activated. Cloud had to wonder what they were doing so far out, especially without any signs of Shinra anywhere.

"Hey, Rude," Reno said suddenly, lifting his voice a little. "Who do you like?"

Cloud pressed himself as far back against the tree as he could and watched as Rude looked back at Reno blankly. He couldn't really hear what they were talking about from where he was, but for a second he thought he saw Rude's face turn slightly red, before he hurriedly looked away from Reno and crossed his arms.

"What are you so embarrassed about?" Reno asked, also noticing the sudden flush on Rude's face. "Come on. Who do you like?"

Rude still didn't answer and refused to look at Reno. Then he took a deep breath and muttered quietly under his breath, "………Tifa." He looked up as Reno jumped about half a metre into the air, before he turned away again to hide the flush on his face.

"Hmmm…" Reno said once the initial shock had passed, and he scratched his head thoughtfully, pushing back the strips of red hair that hung over his face. "That's a tough one. But, poor Elena. She…… you……"

Rude shook his head. "No, she likes Tseng."

"I never knew that!" Reno exclaimed, clearly shocked for the second time. Then he stopped. "But Tseng likes that Ancient…"

"What are they talking about?" Cloud wondered quietly to himself.

He tried to lean forward a little more to try and hear what they were talking about, careful not to lean out too far otherwise they would spot him, or he would fall from his spot. While he and the others were absorbed in trying to listen to Reno and Rude's conversation, they didn't notice the third blue-suited figure walk up behind them, until she stopped beside Cloud and put her hands on her hips crossly.

"It's so stupid!" she exclaimed, making Cloud jump. Elena turned away from him and looked out at Reno and Rude still talking, a cross expression on her face. "They always talk about who they like or don't like. But Tseng is different." She stopped very suddenly and slowly turned to look back at Cloud and then round at the others standing around her. She suddenly jumped violently. "Ah! Oh no!" Before anyone could stop her she brushed past the, dashing towards Reno and Rude. "They're here!" she called out to them. "They're really here!"

Rude and Reno both turned as Elena ran up to them, and saw Cloud and his group standing on the path behind them. Although Elena was excited and nearly hysterical they didn't seem too surprised, which set off warning bells in Cloud's head.

"Hmm… Then it's time…" said Reno. He gave Rude a quick glance. "Rude… Don't go easy on them even though they're girls."

"…Don't worry, I'll do my job," Rude replied simply.

"Then, we're counting on you," said Elena. "I'll report to Tseng!" She gave her two comrades a brief salute before she turned away and ran quickly down the right-hand path leading towards the Gongaga Mako Reactor, leaving Reno and Rude behind to deal with Cloud and the others. Once she was gone, Reno began to walk casually towards the group, the fingers of his right hand gingerly playing with the button of his sleeve.

"It's been a while," he said. He looked particularly at Cloud, Barret and Tifa as he spoke. "Payback time for what you did in Sector 7."

He stopped right in front of Cloud and looked directly into Cloud's eyes. Cloud stared back defiantly, refusing to move or look away. Reno was not much taller than he was, and he certainly didn't intimidate Cloud. Yet it angered Cloud that Reno was talking about the fight they had had on top of the pillar, and not the destruction of Sector 7 and the death of hundreds of people. Cloud then realise that Reno did remember, as a smug and superior smile spread on his face, sniggering quietly.

"Out of our way," Cloud replied angrily. As a word of warning he reached up and placed his hand firmly around the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at any moment. Behind him the others all placed their hands on their weapons and stood ready.

Reno looked at the sword blankly, as equally unimpressed as Cloud was not intimidated. Then he glanced over Cloud's shoulder and looked at the others. The smile disappeared from his face as it turned into a frown, and he looked back at Cloud. "I don't like being taken for a fool," he said.

"That's as far as you go," said Rude.

The moment Rude finished speaking, Reno suddenly whipped his right arm out to the side and a long metal pole with a short metal handle slid quickly out from under his sleeve where he had been hiding it. Reno grabbed it and flipped it up, bringing it down quickly towards Cloud, who was drawing his sword at the same time in anticipation of a battle.

There was a loud clash of metal on metal and a flash of sparks as the two weapons collided. Cloud had his sword held out flat in front of him, his other hand pressed against the blade at the other end, keeping it steady in front of him as Reno brought the pole down hard. Now the two were locked in an instant stalemate.

Tifa ran forward, past Cloud and Reno, and towards Rude who was waiting patiently behind them. As Tifa ran towards him, her fists clenched and ready, he lifted his own fists. Instead of attacking his brought his arms together vertically in front of him in a defensive position, so when Tifa punched outwards with all her might she did not do any damage, and simply punched his arms.

That didn't stop her from trying again and this time aimed for his head, only to miss again as Rude broke his defence position and lifted his arm up in front of his face, catching her fist as it approached him and pushing it up harmlessly above his head so that she was punching the air. Like Tifa, Rude also knew a thing or two about martial arts.

Reno and Cloud had managed to break from their stalemate at that moment, and Reno was now locked between Red XIII, Cloud and Barret. With so many people gathered in such a small space Barret didn't dare to use his gun for fear of the bullets ricocheting off the trees and hitting one of the others.

Red XIII broke the impasse and dived up, trying to clamp his powerful jaws around Reno's arm and force him to drop the bar. However Reno predicted his move and quickly spun around away from Cloud, whipping the bar with him.

An almighty yelp rang through the air as the bar connected with the side of Red XIII's face, followed by a string of blood that came from the hound's nose. The force of the blow caused Red XIII to swerve aside and ram into Barret as he was preparing to cast a ball of ice at the Turk. Red XIII's bulk made Barret lose his concentration and the ball cast off harmlessly into the air where it hit a nearby tree, and Barret and Red XIII fell over onto the floor.

Meanwhile Reno was still spinning around at that point. As he turned his head he caught the flash of something silver heading towards him, and he very quickly brought his arm up and caught the sharp edge of Cloud's blade with the bar, and they were back in the temporary stalemate.

Reno looked over the rim of his bar and looked up at Cloud, a huge sneer on his face. Cloud looked back at him with a fixed gaze, not faltering for a second. Reno was about to say something when he noticed faint flickers of blue-white light beginning to spread on Cloud's sword.

He realised only just in time and quickly jumped back away from the sword, just as Cloud's sword became alive with electricity, using the combination of Materia to make the blade electrical.

At that moment Tifa was still locked in a fierce martial combat with Rude. There was little that Aeris, Yuffie or Cait could do apart from form a border around the two, preventing Rude from trying to break out of the circle. Tifa was very relentless in unleashing all of the skills she had learned against Rude, not letting him have even a second to try and counterattack.

The main advantage came from the fact that she was younger and much more agile than Rude was. Thanks to her training in Nibelheim from a fairly young age she had built up enough stamina and speed to keep her going for much longer, and try moves that Rude couldn't because of his uniform restricting him somewhat.

Yet, despite her skills, she was totally unprepared as she jumped up into the air, her leg straight as she brought it round for a kick to Rude's head. In a flash Rude suddenly ducked down and dashed beneath her, passing under harmlessly as she kicked the air and headed for the ground. As Tifa landed Rude was behind her and in the perfect position. He brought his flat palm around and hit her hard on her back in between her shoulder blades, making her fall forward onto the ground, stunned.

That was when the others jumped in. Aeris ran forward and spun her staff round in a circle, but one simple expert punch from Rude knocked it from her hands and let it fall onto the floor, Aeris falling with it. Cait bounded forward on his Mog form and bounded up, his megaphone held high and the Mog's arms up high as he prepared to bring them both down on Rude while his back was turned.

Yet Rude was prepared for that too, and with a sudden burst of speed he bent down and picked up Aeris's staff, flicking it round and jabbing it out at the cat. The staff hit the cat right off the Mog's body and it fell harmlessly to the floor, along with Cait. Without his control the Mog lost its movement and collapsed facedown onto the floor, leaving Yuffie the only one holding a weapon. She charged forward and began to whip the shuriken in front of Rude's face, making him dodge aside away from its sharp points.

Cloud swiped his electrified sword at Reno again, before he stepped back and held the blade up high. The electricity on the blade intensified as the new piece of Materia he recently inserted flashed brightly with lightning, and when Cloud brought his sword down the lightning jumped off his blade and struck the ground in front of him.

The lightning hit the ground with such force that it made the soil explode, forming a large mound in the middle of the clearing, and still rising. Yuffie, who was at that moment pinned down with her shuriken pressed against her throat by Rude, kicked him in the shin and quickly dashed aside out of the way.

The tip of the mound acted like a lightning rod and brought all of the lightning flashing around the mound together. When all the bolts came together they exploded in a shower of sparks, illuminating a solitary figure that was standing on top of the mound amongst the lightning.

The figure was Ramuh, the summon beast contained within the Materia Cloud had 'picked up' in the Gold Saucer waiting room. He was an old man in a long white cloak and a white beard, holding a long staff designed to conduct lightning.

Rude and Reno both stepped back and braced themselves as the old man lifted his staff up high into the air. The lightning grew closer together around the tip of the staff, before it exploded again and was cast out around the clearing.

The lightning flickered out and around the perimeter of the clearing, narrowly missing Tifa and the others who had pressed themselves amongst the trees and bushes to hide from the lightning bolts. The bolts also crackled over the bodies of Reno and Rude as they stood in the clearing.

By the time the lightning finished its explosive discharge the mound had already sunk back into the earth, and Ramuh had disappeared. As the last of the lightning disappeared Rude and Reno both staggered back, lightning sparks still flickering off their clothes and Reno's hair slightly static from the charge.

For a moment or two everyone was silent, watching as Rude and Reno stood quietly in the middle of the clearing. Yuffie was edging out from her hiding place in between two trees, her shuriken raised as she prepared to throw it at the two while they were silent. In fact, she was just about to throw it when the silence was suddenly broken by a loud beeping sound coming from Rude.

Reno slowly opened his eyes and looked over at Rude as he pulled back the sleeve of his left hand and pushed a button on his watch, stopping the beeping. He nodded at Reno, who smiled smugly and turned back to Cloud and the others, who were gathering in front of him.

"We may be retreating, but… we're still victorious," he said, and glanced at Rude.

"…………" the other Turk replied silently. "…………"

With one final glance at his watch the two Turks then turned and fled from the area, following the same path Elena had in running towards the Mako Reactor. Everyone else stayed in the clearing, watching as the Turks turned the corner and disappeared into the deeper parts of the forest. Once they were gone and out of sight and hearing, Cloud turned around to the group, scratching his head.

"Hey, something seems wrong," Tifa said, voicing the same thought that had filled everyone's head at that moment. "Like they knew we were coming."

Cloud nodded slowly in agreement. "They followed us……" he assumed, watching as Aeris went over to Red XIII and began to wipe the traces of blood from his nose with a cloth, and preparing to attach a small plaster until the wound healed. "But there weren't any signs of it. Then, that means…"

"…Someone's been informing them," Red XIII finished, wrinkling his nose to shift the uncomfortable plaster a little, which was causing him to itch.

"Maybe it's someone in this group," said Yuffie.

All at once everyone in the group looked around at everyone else, trying to find something in their faces that would somehow give them away. But everyone had the same expression – nervous and slightly suspicious of everyone else.

"You don't think there's a spy, do you Cloud?" Cait asked suddenly. He had finally managed to climb back onto his Mog body, and was looking at Cloud almost pleadingly. As he watched the Mog began to hop nervously from one foot to the other. "I hate this. Now everyone's gonna blame me because I'm new."

Cloud turned away, blocking out the gazes of the others as he thought carefully about their new predicament. If there were a spy amongst them then it would be a problem for them all – Shinra would know their every move and be able to move ahead of them, as well as know everything that they did.

The one question he had to ask was: who? Barret? Aeris? Tifa? Red XIII? Yuffie? Cait? He had no doubt the others were thinking the same. If this had happened in Midgar, Barret would have wasted no time in blaming Cloud for being an ex-member of SOLDIER, but what if he… He shook his head fiercely, blocking out the thoughts.

"I don't even want to think that there's a spy…" he said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had spread between them all. He turned back to the nervous gazes of the others, clearly waiting for some words of encouragement. "I trust everyone," he said, hoping that would do.

It did somewhat. The others looked a little more relieved to hear it at least. Still Cloud turned away again and began to walk silent down the second path leading out of the clearing, the one leading to the town of Gongaga. Barret and the others soon began to follow him, while Aeris gave Cait a comfortable pat on the shoulder, and they also followed on towards Gongaga.

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**Emerald:** Well, that's the first chapter of the 2nd Instalment complete! Like I said in the beginning, if you've just found this fic I highly recommend reading the 1st Instalment to get up to speed. It's 45 chapters and over 150,000 words long, but what do you expect from someone who wants to be a novelist? 

Anyway, I apologise if I got the weapons wrong for Reno and Rude. I truly could not remember what their weapons were, so I kinda just took my best guess and hoped for the best. If I have got it totally, utterly and completely wrong, please let me know and I shall adjust the chapter accordingly. I want it to be as correct as I possibly can, unless you don't mind what weapons I've chosen. Well, I suppose I'd better get on with writing the next chapter.


	2. Part 05: Chapter 02

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

Emerald Princess of Vernea

Chapter Two

**Gongaga**

In the middle of the forest, Cloud and the gang soon found the small forest village of Gongaga. It was built in a large clearing where the trees had been cut away and the soil replaced by a fine dirt path, the inhabitants living in small houses that were scattered about throughout the clearing.

The first thing that they noticed as they entered the clearing was the immense silence that had spread throughout the entire village. There were so few houses and so few people around, it was hard to believe that there were people actually living here. A few of the houses had been bordered up, with planks of wood nailed firmly across the windows to stop people from seeing in.

The second thing they noticed was a graveyard built right at the entrance of the village. A large graveyard filled with old graves roughly dug in the dirt, topped by old gravestones of dark rock, the names of the dead carved roughly onto them. One man was standing at the entrance to the graveyard, almost like a guard. His face was sombre, the creases of an ever present frown forming on his face, and he wasn't even that old. There was also a woman inside the graveyard, kneeling beside one of the graves, and tears pouring down her face as she laid a bouquet of flowers in front of the gravestone.

While the likes of Tifa and Aeris looked on sympathetically at the graveyard, silently counting the many graves that stood there, Cloud turned away and took a few more steps into the village. He stopped again and peered up over the small cluster of houses in the far north of the village, above the fence that surrounded the village and kept it separate from the forest.

There it was – sticking out like a dark shadow that was a continuous reminder of the village's misery. It was another Mako Reactor, built not too far away from the village. In fact it looked a little too close to the village for comfort, but as Cloud looked a little closer he could see that it was no longer a problem.

The reactor was a total ruin. From what Cloud could see, the reactor was misshapen and broken down, many of its Mako-sucking towers fallen apart. It explained the growth of fresh plants and flowers, and the way the dark, dead soil was quickly being replenished with energy and life. Without the reactor there to suck up the Mako, there was no way the plants could die.

"A ruined reactor," Cloud muttered softly.

He glanced back at the many graves. They all looked like they dated from the same period, and Cloud slowly pieced the information together. There must have been some form of explosion at the reactor, one big enough to destroy it completely and stop the flow of Mako running through it. With the reactor being so close to the village, it had probably killed some of them. Evidence of that came from the remains of the reactor that were still lying in the village. It also explained the miserable faces of those few wandering in the village.

They soon left the lonely graveyard and headed into the village. Not many people noticed them enter – they were so wrapped up in their own miseries they didn't have the time to notice.

Cloud looked around at the few houses that there were. It was clear that many of them had been repaired, and he presumed that the ones that weren't bordered up were the ones with people still living in them. And although it was very obvious that Sephiroth had not come anywhere near Gongaga, it couldn't hurt to ask someone if they had seen anything and could help them.

He led the others towards one of the houses – the house in the most southern part of the village where the houses were not as damaged. It was one of the only few not bordered up and the door was partially open, making it seem like the only somewhat welcome house in the village. Even so he felt it was only polite to give the door a gentle knock before he pushed the door open and entered.

It was surprisingly homely inside – a complete change to the miserable atmosphere outside, although the house still carried with it an aura of loneliness and loss. There was a wooden table in the middle of the room with chairs around it, and even a vase of small flowers. A wooden floor creaked beneath his boots as he walked in, alerting their presence to the couple that were also standing in the middle of the room.

They were an elderly couple – not incredibly old, but old enough to show their years as patches of grey began to appear in their dark hair. Their faces were a lot more wrinkled than they should have been, brought on by the days of frowning with little to smile about. There were very few people who had not been affected by the explosion of the Mako Reactor. The woman barely noticed Cloud and the others enter as she sat on one of the chairs, adjusting the flowers in the vase, but the man glanced over at them and looked them over.

"You a traveller?" he asked, although his tone didn't sound like he really cared. He eyed them over one by one, until his eyes fell on Cloud's face and he finally began to look like he cared. "Hey, wait, that glare in your eye… you in SOLDIER?"

The mention of SOLDIER made the woman, his wife, drop the flower she was holding onto the table. She got up hastily out of her chair and looked at Cloud, a flash of sudden hope appearing in her old, worn face. Cloud felt a little uncomfortable as he felt her eager gaze on him, staring at the faint glow in his eyes.

"Oh, you're right!" the woman said, and her face creased up into a smile. She walked over to Cloud and stood right in front of him. She was a good few inches shorter than he was, but he still felt a little intimidated by her eagerness. "Don't you know anything about our son?"

"His name is Zack," the man added.

"It's been about 10 years since he left for the city, saying he didn't want to live in the country……" the woman said, standing by her husband again.

"He left saying he's going to join SOLDIER. You ever hear of a Zack in SOLDIER?"

The old man put his arm around his wife and they looked at Cloud hopefully. It was clear that the worry of their missing son surpassed the misery that filled Gongaga, and why they looked so old for their years. Seeing someone from SOLDIER had clearly filled them with sudden hope, and they eagerly awaited Cloud's answer.

Cloud thought silently for a moment. He didn't really know what to tell them. Anything he said would surely make them even more worried, and as far as he could remember the name 'Zack' didn't ring any immediate bells. He didn't know everyone who had been in SOLDIER, and if he had left ten years ago, there could surely be no way he would remember anyone. Also, if ten years had gone by since he left, Zack could be anywhere in the world by now.

"Hmm… I don't know," he answered finally, although it pained him a little to say it.

As he had feared, the hopeful gazes of Zack's parents died right then and there. Their hopeful smiles were replaced once again by ten years' worth of frowns and miseries, making them look frail and old again. A tear filled the old woman's eye, and couldn't raise a smile as her husband gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder.

Aeris was standing behind Cloud right then, standing silently with her head tilted to the floor and her long brown hair falling around her face and hiding her eyes. She could feel the same misery that the old couple were feeling, and as she watched her feet began to shuffle across the ground. "Zack…" she mumbled quietly, barely audible, although in the silence of the house it could just about be heard.

"Young lady, you know him?"

Aeris looked up and gasped, surprised that she had been heard. She looked up to see the gazes of the two parents now turned on her, the faint glimmer of hope slowly returning in their eyes. They were willing to hold onto any hope of recognition, desperate to hold onto some belief that there son was out there somewhere. Even though the chance was it was a very vain hope, there was no harm holding on to it.

"I remember he wrote to us 6 or 7 years ago saying that he had a girlfriend," said the old woman. "Could that have been you?"

Aeris stared, her mouth slightly open. Suddenly she shook her head fiercely and spoke more harshly than she had intended to. "That can't…" she said. She suddenly turned away and brushed rudely past the others, desperate to get outside into the fresh air again, away from the house. Cloud and the other stared at her, surprised at Aeris's sudden change in behaviour.

Everyone that is, apart from Tifa. Tifa had also become very quiet and sombre as the conversation continued, and could understand why Aeris had been so suddenly desperate to get outside. She was beginning to feel the same. The room seemed to be closing in on her and choking her. The whole atmosphere was…

"Zack…" she whispered, before she also turned and headed out of the door, leaving the others in total shock.

"What happened to you two?" Cloud asked, surprised by the two girl's change in behaviour.

He also went outside, leaving the others inside with the parents of the missing boy. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it, feeling strangely relieved to be out of the house. The sadness that filled the house and the village was overwhelming, more powerful than the sadness that filled the slums of Midgar and even Corel. It was making his heart pound, but he couldn't figure out why.

"…Zack," he muttered to himself, letting the words sound on his tongue and vibrate in the air. There was a strange feeling of familiarity as he said the word. "Zack. I don't know anything about the man. ……But that name sounds so familiar… Why…?"

In frustration he pushed himself away from the door and kicked a nearby stone, sending it flying into the wall of another nearby house, one that was bordered up and empty. Cloud stared. He was a little surprised at himself for reacting like that, especially since he was sure that he didn't know Zack. Still, it troubled him somewhat, for he couldn't place the familiarity. Maybe he had heard the name before in passing. Either way it wasn't important now. What was important was finding Aeris and Tifa, and finding out why they had reacted the way they did.

He found Tifa around the corner, standing beside another empty house. She looked rather agitated and was playing with her hair, tugging the dark lengths that surrounded her face as she moved from foot to foot, unsure of how to stand. She was also talking quietly to herself and didn't notice Cloud walking up behind her, not even when he stopped directly behind.

"Zack……" he heard her whisper.

"Do you know him?"

Tifa jumped about half a metre into the air and turned sharply, clearly very surprised to see Cloud standing there. For a second she placed her hand over her mouth as though to stop her from talking, before she recovered and glared back at Cloud almost angrily, her fists tightly clenched by her side.

"N, no, I don't know him!" she said, her voice carrying a very obvious stammer as she struggled to speak.

Cloud tilted his head and looked at her. As well as finding it difficult to speak, Tifa was also shaking slightly, despite how hard she tried to hide it. Her fists were clenched tightly but they were shaking against her thighs. Tifa's face was also quite pale, as though something had really frightened her, and she was finding it extremely difficult to regain control over it.

"Your face tells me differently," Cloud said. He crossed his arms in front of him, waiting for Tifa's explanation.

"I told you, I don't!" Tifa snapped back in reply, stamping her foot hard on the ground and making the rock beneath her crumble.

Cloud stepped back and held out his palms. "A, all right," he said, giving in. Although he was a little surprised at Tifa's sudden defensive behaviour. She had never snapped at anyone like that before.

Tifa seemed surprised by it herself. She felt her face begin to flush red and she quickly turned away, not wanting Cloud to see her blush. She also didn't want him to see the tear that had filled her eye and was fighting to roll down her right cheek. She didn't want him to see her act so weak over one little thing.

"………… That sounds just like you," she said suddenly. Her voice was still choking a little, but her shaking was gradually falling back under her control. "Leaving home, and saying 'I'm joining SOLDIER!'"

Cloud stared at her, and his eyes softened as he realised why Tifa was acting so strange. He had done the same. Completely out of the blue, without any warning, he had made the same decision to go to Midgar and join SOLDIER. He had left behind his friends and his family. For all any of them knew they might never have seen him again, either. He figured that prospect had scared Tifa.

"There were a lot of guys like that back then," he said to her.

Tifa slowly nodded her head, and wiped the annoying tear away as it slipped out of her lid and onto her cheek, before it fell too far. Then she turned back to Cloud and looked at him. Although it was clear she had been forcing herself not to cry, she managed a faint smile at him.

"You must really be something to make it in SOLDIER out of a group like that," she said to him. "I really respect you…"

Nervously, Cloud scratched the back of his head. "I worked hard for it," he replied.

"Hard work pays off, huh?" Tifa assumed. She walked past Cloud and looked as though she was heading back to the old couple's house where the others still were. As she passed Cloud she suddenly stopped and looked back at him, the smile on her face wider and more genuine. "Cloud, thanks for caring." She then ran off towards the house, returning to her energetic self again.

Cloud watched as she ran back to the house. He couldn't help feeling relieved that Tifa was returning to normal. She was not the type of person to show any weakness, and although he often knew what she was thinking, he didn't realise this. Still, she seemed to be fine after a little encouragement, and that left only Aeris to find.

Aeris was a little further into the town, looking out at the ruined reactor in the distance. At least, that was what she appeared to be doing. In reality she was just staring into the space ahead of her, trying to ignore everything that was going on. She did notice Cloud walking up to her and glanced at him for a second, before she turned away again and looked back at the town.

"What a shock…" she said as Cloud approached, loud enough for him to hear. "I didn't know Zack was from this town."

"You know him?" Cloud asked, standing beside her.

Slowly Aeris nodded her head and moved some of her hair away from her face. "Didn't I tell you?" she asked him. "He was my first love."

Cloud had to think for a second before he finally remembered what she was talking about. It had been when they first met, when they were sitting together on top of the Mog-shaped slide in the Sector 6 abandoned playground. It had been soon after Aeris he had once been in SOLDIER, for it reminded her of her boyfriend and the fact that he had been in SOLDIER as well. She had never told him the name of her boyfriend, but now it became clear. It was 'Zack'.

"…………" Cloud muttered silently.

He didn't know what to say. It was no wonder that Aeris had reacted the way she did as well. It must be hard for her, to stumble across the hometown of her first love, only to find that his parents were also waiting for him to return. He didn't know what Aeris must have been feeling, having Zack's parents quiz her about being their son's girlfriend. It probably felt the same as when Cloud had talked about his own family, and how they were no longer around.

"Zack…" Aeris said, sighing heavily. "SOLDIER First Class. Same as Cloud."

"Strange, there aren't that many who make First Class," Cloud said to her. "But I've never heard of him."

"That's all right," Aeris replied. She moved her hair out of her eyes again and turned back to Cloud, giving him a slightly cheery smile. "It's all in the past. I was just worried because I heard he's been missing."

"Missing?"

Aeris nodded, now running her fingers through the long strips of hair against her shoulders. "I think it was 5 years ago," she explained. "He went out on a job, and never came back. He loved women, a real lady's man. He probably found someone else…" She looked up suddenly as she realised that Cloud was no longer looking at her, instead looking at the ground with a rather grave expression on his face. "Hey? What's wrong?" she asked, sounding concerned.

"Poor guy," Cloud said quietly. Aeris tilted her head and looked at him, wondering whether he was concerned over Zack's disappearance, or the fact that he had left Aeris without saying a single word.

"I don't really mind that I haven't heard from him," Aeris assured him. "But I feel for his parents." She put her hand on Cloud's wrist and leaned over to look into Cloud's eyes. "Let's go, Cloud."

Looking back at her, Cloud slowly nodded his head. Gongaga was a place with too many painful memories for everyone, and it was also clear that Sephiroth had been nowhere near this little village. It was probably best that they left the town behind and prayed that it found some glimmer of happiness at some point in the future.

* * *

The ruined reactor looked even worse as Cloud approached the reactor. There was wreckage all around the reactor and its small towers, the metal still charred and with thick layers of dark rust beginning to form across its surface. Although nature was finally beginning to win over the reactor, the land around it was still dark and dead. It would still be many more years before grass began to grow around it again. 

Cloud had gone alone to the reactor, wanting to at least check it out before they moved on and left Gongaga in piece. Ruined reactors were often prime places for finding stray bits of Materia of all kinds, and he wondered if there would be anything they could use for their journey. They already had a prime collection of magic and summon materia, including the ones Yuffie had stolen along the way, but it could never hurt to gain more powerful materia.

It was deadly silent around the reactor. There were no monsters, which surprised him a little. Monsters loved to breed in ruined places where they could hide their young, but there were none in sight. Like the rest of Gongaga and the forests that surrounded it, they were silent and almost lifeless.

He stopped at the entrance and looked inside. Ahead of him was a dark path that led right up into the main part of the reactor. This was where the explosion had occurred. The metal had melted in many places and the doors had been blown apart, and the ground became darker as it was burnt away. Cloud went right up to this main part of the reactor and looked at the broken doors and charred insides.

"A ruined reactor," he said. He wasn't surprised that Shinra hadn't cleaned up the reactor and rebuilt it. Like Corel, they tended to disregard anything that was damaging to them. He bet they blamed the explosion on the people of Gongaga, and left them to clean up the mess.

As Cloud stood there looking at the wreckage of the Mako Reactor, a faint sound caught his attention. He turned around and looked back down the path, just as the noise grew louder and the source of the noise came into view.

It was a helicopter, flying rapidly over Gongaga and heading swiftly towards the reactor. Although it was still too far away for Cloud to see whom the helicopter was carrying, he could see the infamous Shinra logo painted on the side of the doors. The chopper flew all the way up to the entrance of the reactor and began to descend, unable to go any further because there was no room. Cloud remained where he was, wanting to see who was in the helicopter.

As the helicopter landed the doors opened, the blades still whirring as two passengers stepped out from the back of the helicopter. The first was Scarlet, stepping down from the chopper in her high red shoes and onto the ground, a look of disgust on her face, as she smelt the scent of rusty metal all around her. Behind her came Tseng, the leader of the Turks. Scarlet looked over at him and nodded, before they headed on up the path towards the spot where Cloud was.

"It's Scarlet, Head of Shinra Weapon Development," Cloud whispered to himself.

He watched for a few seconds more, before he turned and ran quickly round the side of the reactor, wanting to get out of sight before Scarlet and Tseng could spot him. He hid behind a large chunk of broken metal and peered out.

He saw Scarlet march firmly into the reactor zone and head towards the broken doors that once shielded the reactor's interior. Tseng stopped a few metres back, looking around for any signs of trouble, since he had probably heard from Elena, Reno or Rude that Cloud and his gang were in the area. So he kept a sharp lookout as Scarlet looked through the doors of the reactor, peering through the darkness.

A few seconds later, Scarlet retracted her head and shook her head fiercely. "……Hmph! This isn't any good either," she huffed angrily, her blonde hair swaying around her face. "You only get junky materia from junky reactors." She gave the side of the reactor a sharp kick with her heel, and walked back to Tseng. "This reactor's a failure," she snapped at him. "What I'm looking for is big, large, huge materia. You seen any?"

Tseng thought for a moment, before shaking his head sorrowfully. "…No, I haven't seen it," he said, cautious not to arouse Scarlet's fierce temper, which could rise at the slightest little thing. "I'll get on it right away."

"Please," said Scarlet, who thankfully didn't sound as angry as she would normally have been. "We could make the ultimate weapon if only we had some." Cloud's ears pricked up at the words 'ultimate weapon', and he leaned in a little closer to hear more of what Scarlet was saying, whilst being careful not to make himself visible.

"I just can't wait," Tseng replied.

"With Hojo gone, the Weapon Development's been getting a bigger budget," said Scarlet.

"I envy them."

"But," Scarlet added, suddenly looking rather thoughtful. "Even if we make the perfect weapon, could that stupid Heidegger even use it?"

Tseng didn't reply, and simply looked away from Scarlet and towards the floor. Scarlet looked at him in bewilderment for a second, before her mind clicked and she realised why Tseng was looking away.

"Oh… sorry!" she exclaimed in mock sincerity. "I forgot Heidegger was your boss! Ha ha ha!"

Again Tseng said nothing, and simply waited until Scarlet had finished her laughter, almost in hysterics at her own non-existent witticism. When she finished she took a deep breath and fanned herself softly with her hand to cool herself down. Then she turned back to Tseng, forcing the smile away as she grew serious once again, the novelty of the joke over.

"Let's go," she said sharply, and brushed past Tseng to head back to the helicopter. Tseng followed her in silence, refusing to say a word.

Once they were out of sight, Cloud stepped out from behind the fallen metal and went back to the reactor door. He could just see Scarlet marching off ahead of Tseng as she went back to the chopper, calling out rudely to the pilot to open the doors for her and to help her in.

"…Big, large, huge materia?" Cloud asked aloud, his voice quiet against the loud whirring of chopper blades. "An ultimate weapon? The perfect weapon? Just what are the Shinra up to…?"

He took a step back away from the reactor as the helicopter doors closed, and the chopped began to rise in the air. Once airborne, the helicopter turned around and headed off the way it came, disappearing over the trees of the forest again until it disappeared into the distance, allowing Cloud to move out of hiding again.

Standing in the middle of the abandoned reactor for a minute, Cloud crossed his arms and tapped his foot against the floor, thinking hard. What was this weapon that Scarlet was so keen to create, and why did she need huge materia to create it? Huge Materia? The term rung a small bell in Cloud's mind, but he didn't think it was important right then. What bothered him was the Shinra, and whatever it was that they were planning alongside their search for Sephiroth and the Promised Land.

While he was thinking, he found himself moving towards the open reactor doors. It was very dark inside the reactor, and Cloud had to push himself up on the sharp edges of the doors to fully see inside. There, through the darkness, was a small, sharp glint of red light.

"There's something shiny back there…" Cloud said.

Pushing himself up further, whilst being careful not to fall and cut himself on the sharp edges of the doors as they stuck up around him, Cloud leaned in and stuck his hand into the darkness. He fumbled around through the shadows for minute, until his hand closed around the familiarly firm and smooth surface of a materia ball. It came free easily, and Cloud pulled it out.

He sighed with relief as he saw it was another summon Materia ball – this one he recognised quite easily. The image contained inside like a locked picture – a bare-chested warrior with strong muscles, it could only be Titan materia. Although a fairly rare form of summon materia, it was often used in SOLDIER for field-based combat. He put it safely in his pocket, with the plan to adjust it into his collection later.

With all that over and done with, Cloud began to head back towards Gongaga. He spared one last glance at the reactor that had caused so much misery for the village, before he turned away and walked on without looking back.

* * *

**EMERALD:** There's chapter two for you. Sorry for the week or two delay, but I got a new game to play with. Shadow Hearts: Covenant – brilliant game. I see another novelisation for the future! Although I still have to play the first one, too. 


	3. Part 05: Chapter 03

**_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_**

Just wanted to make a little note about the Cosmo Canyon section. Whenever I've played Final Fantasy 7, I have always renamed Red XIII 'Nanaki'. I've only played it once where I kept him as Red XIII, so I've only seen once the whole 'name change thing'. So if I there are speeches where I call him one name and it should have been the other, try to ignore it. I'm doing this bit on assumption, so don't criticise me too much if I make a mistake here, okay?

* * *

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

Emerald Princess of Vernea

Chapter Three

Everyone was extremely relieved when Cloud returned from the reactor and they could finally leave the village of Gongaga. The misery that enveloped the town was unreal, and everyone they had spoken to had a tale to tell about the tragedy that hit them and took so many lives and ruined others. Friends, family, every single person in Gongaga had lost somebody close to them.

By the time they emerged from the forest and climbed back into the buggy, they had all been affected by it as well. Gongaga, like Corel, was another town that had had sorrowful dealings with the Shinra, and it became clearer than ever that the Shinra was to blame for most of the pain in the world.

As they drove on away from the forest they began to head towards the west, beginning their route round to the other end of the continent. In an attempt to distract themselves from the memories of Gongaga and Corel, and the fact that there may be a spy amongst their group, they focused their attention on other things, such as sorting out the collection of materia they had gained so far.

So while Aeris drove on, after insisting that she drive the buggy across the plains, Cloud and others sat in the back of the buggy and laid out all the materia they had collected. Only Yuffie refused to give up her materia, but no one bothered to force it out of her. Since the money incident at the Gold Saucer Yuffie had become even more uptight about sharing her belongings, although she eyed the rest of the materia with hungry eyes.

"Hands off," Tifa snapped harshly as she saw Yuffie's hand edging towards one of the many summon materia balls they had collected during their journey. Yuffie looked at her before she moved towards the back of the buggy and pulled her knees up close to her chest, looking away moodily.

As she sat there with a frown on her face, Tifa glanced over at Cloud, who rolled his eyes and shook his head. "There's no point arguing," Cloud said simply. He turned back down to the materia. "Anyway… I think it best if we try and split the materia equally amongst us. Each person has a summon, support, offensive…"

"One problem," Tifa pointed out. She reached out and picked up one of the green balls. "We have only one restorative between us. That's not going to be much help if we get split up and someone gets hurt."

"No worries," said Cloud. "If we come across a place that sells, we can always buy more. Besides," he said as he took the ball from Tifa and looked into its lightly glowing green centre. "If we keep using it like we have, it'll probably develop on its own. Then we won't have to buy any."

Tifa nodded, and everyone watched as Cloud began to divide the materia between them all. There was more than enough for everyone, and everyone was able to get some sort of offensive materia to add to their weapons. There were only five balls of summon materia between the seven of them, but no one was worried about that. If they kept finding materia like they were doing, there would be plenty for everyone eventually and they would all have summons of their own. Once he was done the others picked up their divided materia and equipped it into their weapons and armour. At last their materia was equally divided and sorted.

With all that done the buggy drove on across the countryside, passing close to the perimeter of another larger forest that grew alongside the tall, rocky mountains that rose all around the centre of the continent. On the other side of the buggy they could see the shoreline in the distance, as well as the distant see. If they were to head further south it would take them another hour to reach the ocean, but they had no time to waste right then. Enough time had been lost getting out of the Gold Saucer, and with no sign of Sephiroth anywhere, they had to use all their time trying to catch up with him before the Shinra did.

About twenty minutes after they finished sorting out the materia they had to turn north and drive right around the perimeter of the forest. The end of the continent sharply turned north and ran close to the edge of the forest, forcing them north towards the river where the ocean water flowed in and was dispersed around the rest of the continent. Driving across the river and up into the next part of the continent was no problem at all, but the next problem was still to come.

Now they were on the next part of the continent they were right up close to the mountain range, and the only way they could continue on would be to drive right through the mountains. Although there was a path that they could use leading into the range, it was very rough and jagged, with many bumps and curves and sharp bits of rock sticking up out of the ground. Aeris slowed the buggy until it stopped at the entrance of the range, and they all got out.

"I don't think we can drive through that," Aeris said. "It looks a little rough."

"Does this mean we'll have to abandon the buggy?" asked Tifa.

She turned and looked over to Cloud. He was standing ahead of the group his arms folded, eyes scanning the mountains as he summed up their options. He didn't look particularly keen on the prospect of abandoning the buggy, either. Because of the buggy the had been able to pick up on a lot of the time they had lost, and they would be more likely to catch up with Sephiroth in the buggy rather than on foot.

"That will not be necessary," Red XIII said suddenly, and everyone turned to him. He nodded his head and bounded forward towards the entrance of the mountain path, where he turned back to the others. "I know this area well. The mountains are rough to travel through, but there are sufficient places for the buggy to ride without being damaged severely."

"Are you sure?" Cloud asked him.

Red XIII nodded his head confidently. "I am positive," he replied, looking directly into Cloud's eyes. Then he turned to Aeris. "Do not worry. I will guide you through."

And guide them through he did. As they set off again through the mountain range and across the precarious mountain path, Red XIII showed them every safe twist and turn so the buggy avoided all the major ditches and rises in the ground that would damage the buggy and leave them stranded again. Running alongside of the buggy, Red XIII was glad to be out of the cramped buggy and stretching his legs.

He certainly did know the area well. As he led them on the path moved further up into the mountains, carrying them far away from the ocean and into the rocky mountains. Red XIII guided them on step by step throughout the jagged mountain path without faltering even once. Although the buggy did occasionally bounce up and down on the rocks, there was nothing so extreme that would damage the buggy, and leave them to climb the mountains on foot.

* * *

**Cosmo Canyon**

They soon came across their next destination, surprising Cloud and the others but not surprising Red XIII. In fact he even deliberately swerved around and motioned for Aeris to drive the buggy after him, heading towards the rather strange looking set of structures ahead of them.

The strange sight ahead of them was actually a village of sorts, and was built alongside one of the tall walls of the rising mountain. It spread across a fairly large area of flat space that must have been carved artificially, although there were no signs of machinery or anything mechanical.

There were a fair number of huts scattered around, built of strong wood that could withstand the rain and other extreme weather conditions, and roofs made of thick pliable green wood, smoothed down to perfection so the rain would slide off with no damage to the structure. The majority of huts were built against the mountain wall, while others were built up on wide ledges higher up the wall, accessible by long wooden ladders. Some houses were even built _inside_ the mountain itself, carved into the mountain wall and only visible by small wooden doors leading inside the wall.

It seemed impossible that such a natural-looking town could have no form of machinery. The houses and shops that were built inside the mountain wall could only have been made by machinery, but as Cloud and the others approached in their buggy they could see absolutely nothing. There was also no sign of a Mako Reactor, which was another good sign.

Red XIII picked up speed and ran on ahead of the others, stopping at the bottom of a long set of stairs that were carved perfectly into the rock leading up into the canyon. He turned back in time to see Aeris slow the buggy to a stop a few metres behind him, and the others all piled out. They looked up in awe at the mountain village, for it looked so beautiful from where they were. Secretly grinning at their reactions, Red XIII turned away and began to dart up the rocky stairs, barking at the others to follow him.

There was a man standing at the very top of the stairs, leaning against one of the two wooden poles that stood firm and guarded the entrance of the canyon. He was clearly a guard, although he certainly didn't dress like one. He also looked quite bored, staring at the floor with a single leaf stalk twirling in his hand, until he heard a voice calling out to him from the stairs and made him take notice.

"I am home! It is I, Nanaki!"

The man looked up and glanced over towards the stairs. Seconds later his eyes widened in total surprise and a look of recognition spread across his face, followed by a huge smile of happiness and relief as Red XIII bounded over and stopped right in front of him. The hound was almost bouncing on his paws, unable to keep still as he shifted about in front of the guard, completely unlike anything he'd acted like before.

"Hey, Nanaki!" he exclaimed, dropping the leaf stalk onto the ground as he walked over and gave the hound a soft pet on his furry head. "You're safe! Come on, and say hello to Bugenhagen!"

Red XIII nodded and complied quickly, running past the guard as he stepped aside to let him through. Cloud and the others had just reached the top of the stairs and stopped as they saw Red XIII run inside the village. They saw him bound up almost excitedly towards more rocky steps that were built alongside the mountain wall, leading to more inner houses.

"…Nanaki?" Cloud repeated, confused.

"Red XIII seems different, doesn't he?" said Tifa, whispering in Cloud's ear.

Cloud nodded back in reply, and looked up at Red XIII. The hound was perched on the top of one of the steps with his head held high, looking up towards the top of the mountain. Cloud looked up, too, and saw what Red XIII was looking at.

At the very top of the mountain there was a fairly large tower that also combined as a house. It had a rounded roof and a balcony running around the outside – and was that the tip of a telescope he could see poking out of the top of the roof? There was a large slit in the roof paved over with thick glass, barely visible from the bottom of the mountain, but Cloud could just see the tip of a black oval on the inside. It had to have been a telescope. And here, in the middle of the mountains, far away from any major city, the view of the stars must surely have been incredible.

He was broken from his gaze as Tifa nudged his arm, making him remember that they were still standing outside of the village and looking up like an idiot. Cloud fought the flush spreading on his face and hurriedly marched forwards, walking right up to the entrance guard who was waiting for them.

"Welcome to Cosmo Canyon," he said to them cheerfully, greeting them with a smile that was not as excited as it had been when he saw Red XIII. "Are you familiar with this land?"

Cloud glanced around at the others, who slowly shook their heads. "No," he answered, turning back to the guard.

The guard nodded, understanding. "Let me explain," he said. "People from all over the world gather here to seek the Study of Planet Life." When he spoke it was almost automatic, as though he had said it many times before. He turned away and looked inside the canyon, before he turned back and groaned loudly. "Ummgah! It's full capacity at the moment, so I'm afraid I can't let you enter."

As he finished speaking, Red XIII came running back down the rocky steps towards the entrance, overhearing what they were saying. "They helped me when I was on the road," he said to the guard. "Please let them in."

He then turned and ran off again, leaving the guard to consider his words. He turned back to Cloud and the others and looked them up and down, eyeing up their weapons and armour. "Oh, is that so?" he asked. "You helped our Nanaki?" He tapped his foot for a moment, before he finally made up his mind and stepped out of the way of the door. "Please, come in."

"Who is Nanaki?" Cloud asked, confused.

The guard also looked confused. "Nanaki is Nanaki," he said, speaking as though it was the most obvious answer in the world. "That's his name."

With the entrance clear, Cloud and the others all walked slowly into the village known as Cosmo Canyon. They looked around with great interest, for Cosmo Canyon was one of the most spectacular places they had ever seen. There was even a small fire in the centre of the canyon, for where people would gather and talk about the things they had seen in the village.

In contrast, Cosmo Canyon was the total opposite of Midgar. Midgar was a city built entirely of metal, surrounded by dead land that was growing darker and more dead as the days went by. Cosmo Canyon was on the other end of the spectrum, built entirely from nature without damaging the surrounding land, and the land around it, although rocky, was still filled with life. The people they could see walking around looked happy, a change from the miserable faces they had seen in places like Corel and Gongaga.

Red XIII was waiting for them halfway up the first set of stairs. He certainly did seem different now that they were in Cosmo Canyon, although most of his almost childlike excitement had died down now. He was still finding it difficult to keep still, however, even when he sat back on his haunches and tried to keep his legs firmly still.

"Here is where I was… I mean, …this is my hometown," Red XIII said. He could barely even speak properly. "My tribe were protectors of those who appreciated this beautiful canyon and the Planet. My brave mother fought and died here, but my cowardly father left her……" He raised his head and looked up the sky, which was growing dark rapidly. "I am the last of my race."

"Cowardly father?" asked Cloud.

Red XIII lowered his head and looked at the ground. He suddenly seemed almost ashamed, but at least his excited quivering had ended now. "Yes," he said finally, his voice quiet. "My father was a wastrel. And so the mission I inherited from my ancestors, is to protect this place. My journey ends here."

"Hey! Nanaki--! You're home!"

The hound's eyes lit up brightly at the sound of the voice calling out to him from somewhere above them. Red XIII jumped to his feet, his tail straight and firm behind him, and looked up to the top of the mountain. "Coming, Grandpa!" he called, before he turned away from the others and ran off up the steps, turning to run up another set until he disappeared through an open door leading inside the mountain wall.

He left the others feeling a little shocked, although really they should have been expected it. Red XIII, or Nanaki, as he was known in Cosmo Canyon, had said when they escaped from Midgar that he would leave them once he returned to his hometown. And Cosmo Canyon was his home, so it was only natural that he would leave them at this point. It still came as a bit of a shock, especially after travelling with them for so long.

"Let's rest for a bit," said Aeris suddenly, and everyone turned to look at her. She shrugged. "There are some things I want to find out about anyway."

Cloud slowly nodded his head, and everyone sighed heavily. After the hours of driving and being cramped up in the back of the buggy, everyone was relieved to have a bit of a break. The night sky was falling in fast now, and surely within the hour it would be completely dark, and no one wanted to sleep in a cramped buggy, even if the night sky did look nice.

So as Red XIII went off to find his grandfather, the rest of the group parted ways and went off to explore the mountain village of Cosmo Canyon on their own. At this particular time the village was quiet and there were not many people walking around, although the campfire in the centre of the village still burned strongly.

As the others went off to explore different parts of the canyon on their own, Cloud just sat down on the rocky stairs outside the main part of the canyon in silence. He unhooked his sword from his back and laid it out on the steps beside him. The large silver blade glinted a little, the two balls of lightning and elemental materia shining only slightly with the coming night.

Seeing their sparkle, Cloud turned his gaze up towards the sky. It was another clear night, and the first bright stars were just becoming visible. Pretty soon they would all be out, along with all the other sights that could only be visible in the country. He couldn't believe that only a day had gone by, and they had travelled so far. He had expected it to take a day or two at the least to get so far, but thanks to the buggy the trip had been much faster.

As Cloud sat there looking up at the sky, a faint sound hit his ears. It was the faint sound of music – drums and string guitars, and was that a flute? He couldn't see the musicians, but the music was clear and could be heard throughout the canyon. He couldn't see any of the others either, although he was positive that they could hear the music, too. Picking up his sword and placing it back on his back, Cloud stood up and headed up the steps towards the inner part of the canyon, wanting to know for certain if Red XIII was planning to leave them.

There were more people inside the canyon than outside, but with night approaching it was much quieter than it would have been during the day. There were shops and houses all carved inside the mountain, although they all seemed homely enough. The majority of the people wandering around were coming from one of the back rooms on the first floor, which Cloud presumed from a quick peek in that it must have been a library of sorts.

As Cloud headed up to the second floor he thought he saw Yuffie slinking into one of the shops. He presumed it must have been the Materia Shop, for she had a superior look of smugness on her face. Instead of following her to see if she was up to her sneaky pinching tricks again, he tried hard to pretend he never saw her and carried on looking around.

There was a young kid standing ahead of him, looking up at a metal door that was peculiarly built at the end of the hall, along with a strange machine that looked somewhat like a scanner. With the exception of the observatory on the top of the mountain, this was the first sign of anything artificial throughout the canyon. The kid seemed enthralled by it, standing up on his tiptoes to try and see the scanner. It seemed as though Red XIII wasn't on this floor either, and with the only exit leading out to small viewing balcony, there was only a ladder left for Cloud to climb.

The ladder led to the very top of the mountain, where a thin tunnel had been carved as the only way out. Cloud climbed out of the tunnel slowly, careful not to catch his sword on any loose bits of rock from the tunnel. When he climbed out he looked around, and was surprised by what he saw.

There was a house built on top of the mountain, with the tall, cylindrical observatory built alongside and joining onto it. He was also surprised by the amount of technological equipment there was lying around – it was almost hard to believe that he was in the same place.

As Cloud looked around, he saw that the lights were on in the main house and the door was ajar. He could just about hear voices talking inside, one of them he recognised as Red XIII. Or did he want to be called Nanaki from now on? Cloud shook his head, confused. That was a problem that could be sorted out later. For now, he just walked up to the door and slowly peered around it.

It was a quaint little house, and there was more signs of electrical equipment inside as well. He saw Red XIII standing ahead of him, talking to an elderly man who was standing by the table.

He was a rather peculiar looking man, with a bald head and white beard, his body covered up by a long blue cloak that hung over his hands and his feet. His face was old but definitely kind, and many wrinkles appeared on his forehead and around his mouth as he smiled at Red XIII. What was most peculiar was that the man's feet didn't seem to be touching the ground – the cloak that covered his feet just stopped a good few inches away from the ground. It was as though he was floating, but from what Cloud had seen so far he figured it was another electrical device of some kind. After all, the old guy couldn't really be floating by himself. Could he?

Hearing the door creak open, Red XIII turned and saw Cloud standing in the doorway. There was definitely an almost childlike smile on his face, which looked very odd on the hound.

"Cloud," the hound said, motioning to Cloud to come in further. "This is my grandfather, Bugenhagen. He is incredible. He knows everything."

Cloud walked further into the room, shutting the door behind him and looking around. There were many strange things inside the strange house, with a ladder going up towards the observatory, and another metal door at the side, although it looked to be locked.

"Ho Ho Hoooo," Bugenhagen laughed cheerfully, making Cloud jump a little. He had a rather jolly voice, although it carried a faint hint of seriousness as well. "I hear that you looked after Nanaki a bit. Nanaki's still a child you see."

"Please stop, grandfather," Red XIII said, looking down. "I'm 48."

"Ho Ho Hoooo," Bugenhagen said again, laughing in his weird but surprisingly jolly way. He saw Cloud looking confused, and slowly nodded his head. "Nanaki's tribe have incredible longevity," he explained. "So you see his 48 years would only be equivalent to say that of a 15 or 16 year old in human reckoning."

Cloud jumped back violently, his eyes opening wide in complete astonishment. "15 or 16!" he exclaimed. He stared intently at Red XIII, who was flushing slightly. He had always though of Red XIII as the oldest of them or at least near Barret's age, but to be the equivalent of a 15 or 16 year old meant he was closer to Yuffie's age in comparison. He had never guessed, and probably would never have thought that without being told directly.

"He's quiet and very deep," said Bugenhagen. "You thought he was an adult?"

Red XIII lowered his head and looked at the ground sheepishly, seeming rather embarrassed to have his true age revealed. "……Grandfather. I want to be an adult," he said. "I want to grow up to be able to protect you and the village."

"Ho Ho Hoooo. No Nanaki," said the old man, suddenly sounding a little bit more serious despite his laugh. "You can't stand on your own yet. To do that now would destroy you in the long run." He looked upwards and raised his arms towards the ceiling. "Reaching up into the heavens, threatening to snatch the very stars from the city of Midgar. You've seen it, haven't you? Well, that's a bad example. Looking up too much makes you lose perspective."

He suddenly floated upwards, making Cloud stare in even more surprise as he moved without walking and stopped above the table. He very nearly leant over to see if there was a device making him float, but he was too entranced to move. Bugenhagen was definitely a very peculiar man indeed. "When it's time for this planet to die, you'll understand that you knew absolutely nothing," Bugenhagen added as Cloud stood there.

"……When the planet dies?" asked Cloud. He found himself tilting his head slightly, completely baffled by the old man's ability to float. He couldn't hear any machinery beneath his long cloak, so how could he be floating?

"Ho Ho Hoooo. It may be tomorrow, or 100 years from now… But it's not long off," he replied, stroking his beard softly.

"How do you know this?" Cloud said.

"I hear the cries of the Planet," Bugenhagen told him.

Cloud was about to ask what he meant when a strange sound suddenly echoed throughout the house. It was similar to the sound of a gushing winds blowing all around them, although there was no wind blowing inside the house at all. Cloud looked up and around to see what was making the sound, but he couldn't find the source. He was sure the sound came from somewhere upstairs, but it was as clear here as it would be up there.

"What's that?" he asked.

"The sounds of the stars in the heavens," Bugenhagen replied. He was also looking up, his eyes closed as he listened to the whirlwind sound blowing around him. He almost looked entranced. "While this goes on, planets are born, and die."

At that moment another sound joined in the echoes of the wind – a less pleasant sound that made Cloud step back and sent a cold chill straight down his spine and made him shiver. It sounded almost like a scream – a painful, anguished scream of a thousand peculiar voices wailing madly. The scream seemed to vibrate all around them – off every wall and through every nook and cranny, clutching at the hearts of Cloud, Red XIII and Bugenhagen as they stood and listened to its cry.

"What was that?" Cloud asked. He was surprised to find his voice shaking a little. Something about the strange cry had shaken his soul hard, and he could almost feel his soul wanting to cry along with it.

"Ho Ho Hoooo. That was a scream from this planet," replied Bugenhagen. "Didn't you hear it? As if to say… I hurt, I suffer…"

Cloud slowly put his palm flat against his chest, feeling the mad beat of his heart as it pounded away inside of him. He could hear the cry, and even as it died down around them he could still hear its echoes in his mind. If that was a scream from the planet then it truly was in pain. He looked up at Bugenhagen, who was looking down with a look of sudden sympathy on his face. Sympathy and sorrow for the planet.

"They have come here on a journey to save the planet," said Red XIII. "Why don't you show them your apparatus?"

"Ho Ho Hoooo," Bugenhagen laughed as he floated slowly off the table to rejoin them on the ground. "To save the planet? Ho Ho Hoooo! But, then again, I guess it wouldn't hurt to show him."

Again Cloud was about to as a question about what Red XIII and Bugenhagen were talking about, when the door behind them suddenly flew open and a man ran hurriedly into the room. He looked very anxious and nervous, Cloud noticed, panting hard as though he had run all the way up to Bugenhagen's house.

"Bugenhagen!" the man exclaimed. "Several odd looking people have come."

"The whole place has gotten busy all of a sudden," said Bugenhagen.

"He brought friends too," Red XIII said, looking up at the old man. "I'll go get them." He began to walk off slowly across the floor, past the panting guard, when he suddenly stopped and turned back to Cloud. "Cloud, please call one of them. Only three people can fit into grandfather's machine."

Cloud crossed his arms and thought for a moment. If he could only take one person into the machine… it would probably be best if it were Aeris. As an Ancient she was connected to the Planet anyway, although she hadn't said much about the planet talking to her since they left Midgar. She would probably be most interested in whatever it was Bugenhagen planned on showing them.

Whatever it was.

* * *

**_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_**

I really should stop butting in, but I just wanted to let everyone know that now I'm back at University, I won't be putting chapters up as quickly. I will still try and get a chapter a week up. I also have my own novel to work on and a chapter a week to write (I'm writing it by hand, what am I thinking?), as well as play my new game. So please bear with me if the next chapter isn't up within a week or so. I will try my hardest for you.


	4. Part 05: Chapter 04

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

Emerald Princess of Vernea

Chapter Four

Upon leaving Bugenhagen's house, Cloud and Red XIII split and head back into town. Red XIII ran off to search through the main part of the canyon for the others, while Cloud headed out to the lower parts of the canyon in search of Aeris.

He found her eventually, sitting in the village inn with Tifa as they sat and talked about all the things they had seen in the canyon. They greeted Cloud warmly, and Cloud immediately told Aeris about the 'apparatus' that Bugenhagen wanted to show them. After telling her it might have something to do with the Planet she had jumped up instantly, excited at the prospect of learning something new about the Planet.

Bugenhagen was not in the main room of his house when they returned, although the front door had been left open. There was no sign of Red XIII either, but that was no surprise since he was probably still out looking for the others as they wandered through the village. Aeris looked at Cloud, who shrugged dismissively. Where could Bugenhagen have gone?

"Here, over here. The door's unlocked, come on in."

Cloud and Aeris both jumped, startled, and turned sharply towards the metal door that Cloud had observed earlier. Although locked before, the door was open now, the metal latch hanging loosely at the side and slightly ajar to reveal a faint line of light coming from the inside. This was where Bugenhagen's voice was coming from, so Cloud and Aeris both pushed open the door and went inside.

The hidden room beyond was a fairly large room, and filled with even more technological stuff that neither Cloud nor Aeris could identify. Machines of all kinds lay on all sides of the circular room, disused for many years although clearly still in good condition. It told them a little more about Bugenhagen at least, and that his interests' lay in both nature and in science.

Bugenhagen was standing – or rather, floating still – at the far end of the room beside a strange machine with a huge lever rising up out of it. Many wires were sticking out at the bottom of this machine, all of them attached to a peculiar-looking platform in the middle of the room. Also rounded, the platform was glowing very faintly as power from the wires slowly flooded into it.

"Ho Ho Hoooo," Bugenhagen said, his beard quivering as he laughed and looked at Cloud and Aeris. "It looks like you have them all together. Then let's begin. Go and stand over there."

Cloud nodded and began to head over towards the platform, before he realised that Aeris wasn't following. Turning back to her he saw that she was staring open-mouthed at Bugenhagen, in particular at the way he was floating many inches off the ground with one hand on the handle. Cloud leaned over and gave her a nudge on the arm. This seemed to break her from her stare and she looked at Cloud, and then back at Bugenhagen. Evidently she had not believed Cloud when he told her about Bugenhagen's strange ability to float in the air.

Once Aeris had recovered from the initial shock, she followed Cloud and stood on the circular platform. Bugenhagen then pulled down the lever he was holding onto, and then quickly moved so that he was standing opposite Cloud and Aeris on the platform.

A second later the lights in the room suddenly dimmed to an absolute minimum, dying down so that the room was almost enveloped in total darkness. Cloud and Aeris looked around blindly for a few seconds until they felt a curious vibration beneath their feet, followed by the loud humming of the machine as it fed more power into the platform. With a gentle shudder the platform came alive and began to rise up off the floor, rising up smoothly away from the floor and up to the ceiling.

Looking up, Aeris saw that the ceiling above them was curved and made of a peculiar metal seemed to resemble the night sky. At first she thought that the black space and the white stars had been painted on, but as they drew closer to it she saw that the stars were more 3D and seemed to move about slowly across the 'sky'. With another gentle shudder the platform stopped just inside the strange upper dome, and Aeris looked around at their new surroundings.

It was almost like walking straight into space. The curved sides of the dome surrounded her on all sides, with more stars seeming to hover freely away from the edges, although they couldn't surely have been real. Up above her there was a 3D model of a solar system, with a sun in the middle and planets slowly revolving around it, again of their own free will. Elliptical yellow lines that wound their way around the sun marked the orbit of each planet and the planets moved slowly across them, following their route.

"So pretty…" Aeris remarked, her voice trembling as she became filled with such awe at the realism of what was around her. "It's just like the real thing!"

Bugenhagen, who had been standing behind her and Cloud until then, moved away from the platform and floated up towards the ring of planets that slowly circled above them. "Hmm, yes pretty good," he said, looking around at the space around them. "This is my laboratory. All the workings of space are entered into this 3D Holographic System."

"Hey! A shooting star!"

Aeris was standing with her head twisted behind her as she saw a bright yellow-white star fly behind her. Just a small speck from where she was standing, the star had a long tail trailing behind it, leaving tiny specks of stardust in its wake. These specks twinkled brightly for a few seconds, before they faded and merged into the blackness of space.

That wasn't all there was to see. Just as the shooting star passed on and disappeared into the distance, a planet with a revolving moon then slowly began to revolve past Aeris. The young woman looked on, her green eyes wide and staring with intense excitement and curiosity as the planet slowly passed her. It was so close she could almost touch it, but she was afraid to disturb the planet from its slow orbit around the sun.

While Aeris was busy looking at the planet another large object began to fly over her head. Looking up Aeris saw that it was a large meteor covered in craters. She could see these craters clearly and with such detail she could almost picture the asteroids or small meteors that must have crashed into the surface of the meteor, crashing with such force that the ground was forced up around it, creating such beautiful craters.

As the meteor spun slowly above her, Aeris saw that there were more meteors around her, all of them flowing in the same direction towards the far corner of the laboratory. Looking ahead Aeris saw that there was a black hole just a few metres from where she was standing – a gaping hole in the middle of the space surrounded by dim lights, using its powerful sucking force to draw the loose meteorites into it. One by one the meteorites were pulled into its dark centre, where they would be crushed and compressed until there was nothing left of them. It truly was an amazing laboratory.

"Wow, how wonderful," was all Aeris could say. Her words were lost as she stared at the black hole, now empty of its meteor cargo, floating silently ahead of her.

"Ho Ho Hoooo. Yes, it is something, isn't it?" Bugenhagen said, agreeing with her. "Well, let's get to the subject."

Aeris nodded and finally pulled herself away from the image of the black hole, its sucking force almost drawing her in with its hypnotic swirl. Instead she stood by Cloud, and together they looked up at Bugenhagen turned away from them, waiting for them to settle so he could begin his explanation.

"Eventually… all humans die," Bugenhagen began. "What happens to them after they die? The body decomposes, and returns to the Planet. That much everyone knows. What about their consciousness, their hearts and their souls?" He turned back and looked down at Cloud and Aeris. His face had lost all its laughter and humour now, and had changed into a very serious expression. Even his voice was no longer laughing. "The soul too returns to the Planet. And not only those of humans, but everything on this Planet.

"In fact, all living things in the universe, are the same. The spirits that return to the Planet, merge with one another and roam the Planet. They roam, converge, and divide, becoming a swell, called the 'Lifestream'. Lifestream… In other words, a path of energy of the souls roaming the Planet. 'Spirit Energy' is a word that you should never forget.

"A new life… children are blessed with the Spirit Energy and are brought into the world. Then, the time comes when they die and once again return to the Planet… Of course there are exceptions, but this is the way of the world." Bugenhagen sighed heavily. "I've digressed, but you'll understand better if you watch this."

Bugenhagen gently floated aside, and motioned for Cloud and Aeris to come a little closer. The two complied and walked up close as Bugenhagen held out his hand and pointed to one of the steadily rotating planets that was rolling in steady towards them. It was a rather basic-looking planet that had no special features, until they looked a little closer at its surface.

There was a man on the planet – or at least a holographic simulation of what they presumed was meant to be a human male, for there were no features on the figure – and he was walking across the surface of the planet. He came to a stop at the top of the globe right next to a single tree that was also sticking up out of the top of the planet. The man stood silently for a second, before he straightened his arms out.

Then the man's body suddenly began to dissolve, gradually breaking down into separate components and falling towards the ground. As more and more of him began to disappear, those separate components began to glow and turned into a flow of yellow energy that slowly began to trickle down across the planet's surface. Moments later the tree began to dissolve as well, breaking down into a trail of pink energy that follow the yellow trail down towards the underside of the planet.

Cloud and Aeris watched in awe as the two coloured trails swirled to the bottom of the planet, converging and merging into one coloured trail. As they reached the bottom the new single trail began to solidify again, taking on its new form of a newborn baby. Before their eyes the baby grew rapidly until it was back into the same human male form that had previously stood on top of the planet. Then, like before, it dissolved again as it died and turned back into a swirl of yellow energy that began to move slowly across the planet again.

By this point more swirls of energy were beginning to flow across the surface of the planet. More trees and miniature people were appearing on all corners of the planet, dispersing into move trails of pink and yellow and other coloured energy and swirling across the surface. It wasn't long before the planet was teeming with coloured energy, forming a light surface of colour that covered the planet.

"Spirit energy makes all things possible; trees, birds and humans," said Bugenhagen. He was now floating alongside the coloured planet, watching the energy swirl across its surface. "Not just living things. But Spirit energy makes it possible for Planets to be Planets. What happens if that energy were to disappear?"

He raised his hand and held it out in front of the planet. As if it were a magnet, the coloured swirls of energy began to pull the other way and slowly drift away from the planet's surface, towards Bugenhagen's hand. As the energy moved away and dissolved into the air, the planet began to change. A blanket of darkness began to sweep across its surface, swallowing up all the oceans and grassy lands until the planet was merely a dark ball floating in space. Then, with nothing left alive to hold onto, the planet began to break apart. Its smooth surface cracked open and a giant chunk began to drift off away from it, heading off towards the black hole.

Bugenhagen lowered his arm as the planet moved slowly on, a half-broken dead ball. "…These are the basics in the Study of Planet Life," he finished.

Down on the platform, Aeris lowered her head and looked at the ground, shifting her feet uncomfortably. After seeing the planet's last few moments, before darkness consumed it and destroyed it, she couldn't help but feel a little bit sad. When Bugenhagen raised his hand, it was as though he sucked out all of the energy and killed the planet himself. She also realised then what Bugenhagen was saying about that, and she quickly turned her head away.

Beside her, Cloud folded his arms and tapped his foot, creating a soft echo. "If the Spirit energy is lost, our Planet is destroyed…" he assumed.

"Ho Ho Hoooo. Spirit energy is sufficient BECAUSE it exists within nature," replied Bugenhagen. "When Spirit energy is forcefully extracted, and manufactured, it can't accomplish its true purpose."

Cloud suddenly stopped tapping his foot on the ground and looked up, staring into Bugenhagen's serious face as he finally realised just what Bugenhagen was saying. "You're talking about Mako energy, right?" he asked.

Bugenhagen slowly nodded his head. "Every day Mako reactors suck up Spirit energy, diminishing it. Spirit energy gets compressed in the reactors and processed into Mako energy. All living things are being used up and thrown away. In other words, Mako energy will only destroy the Planet…"

His voice choked a little words the end, his words ringing like a cracked bell through Aeris and Cloud. The two of them stood silently, their heads down as they absorbed his words. Aeris was still holding onto her staff, and she looked down at the many balls of coloured Materia she had stored there, and the ball of Materia she had in her hair to help keep her hair back. Materia… condensed Mako energy. The Materia she used was made from the very Spirit energy that ran through the heart of their planet. With a small tear forming in her eye she tightened her grip on the staff.

She didn't notice when Bugenhagen pulled a small lever that was almost invisible against the side of the dome, and the platform began to head back down into the hidden room. Her fists were shaking slightly as the lights came back on, unable to take her eyes off the Materia.

"The study of the planets… and those who lived with them…" Bugenhagen was saying as the room brightened up again. "You want to know more? Then you must listen to the words of the elders."

Cloud nodded and turned towards the door, when he saw that Aeris still had her head down and was still staring at the side of her staff where the Materia was stored in their special slots. Gently he took her arm and she looked up at him, her eyes saddened and glistening in the corners where tears were slowly forming. He gave her a nod, and she just managed a brief smile before she hurriedly turned away from him and walked out of the door, almost running. Cloud followed her, leaving Bugenhagen alone in the bottom of his laboratory.

Once they were gone, Bugenhagen slowly turned to his machine and pushed the button to turn it off. Circular metal doors began to slide across the underside of the dome, sealing off the planet structure from view. His face was no longer laughing and he seemed quite troubled, although it was not due to Aeris's apparent dismay of the truth of the world.

"Nanaki?" he said aloud, as the humming from the machine died down and the room fell into a deep silence. The light died further, leaving the room in darkness. "His father a coward? So that's it… Nanaki's been thinking that all this time…"

* * *

Aeris tore out of Bugenhagen's house and ran to the rails that surrounded the house, a safeguard and lookout point for the whole canyon. She let her staff fall onto the floor as she let herself fall against the rails. She was relieved to feel the cool evening wind against her skin, and the deep red sunset was simply beautiful, especially as the orange-red cast shadows on the entire canyon. 

Seeing that, Aeris couldn't help but feel a little foolish. Hearing Bugenhagen's story had made her feel so alone all of a sudden, and guilty as she had been using the Planet's Spirit energy without even realising it. Did that make her as bad as the Shinra, who manufactured it everyday?

Standing up, Aeris reached behind her and slowly pulled the ribbon out of her hair. Her long brown hair fell loosely onto her back in long, wavy strands, blowing back in the breeze. With the ribbon in her hands Aeris looked down and gazed upon the ball of Materia she never used. A keepsake… A memory of her mother… nothing more. Was this shimmering white ball of Materia once part of the Planet's Spirit energy?

"Are you all right?"

Aeris jumped and turned around. Cloud was standing a metre behind her, looking a little concerned. The red light of the sky was reflecting in his eyes right then, making the blue glow seem almost red. She looked at him for a second, before she turned back to the sunset.

"I'm sorry," she said, and leaned on the rail again. "It's just… hearing that story…" She lowered her head, and her long brown hair fell loosely around her face. "I guess now I understand what the Planet was trying to say. It's crying… Crying because the Spirit energy is being sucked out of it…"

"Can't we do anything to help it?" Cloud asked her. He walked over to her and stood beside her at the rail. From where they were he could see the entire canyon, and the bright orange glow of the campfire in the middle of the village.

"I don't know," Aeris admitted sadly, tightening her grip on the ribbon. "All I know is… The more Spirit energy that is lost, the quicker this Planet will die. Each day more Spirit energy is drawn from it… In the end, I don't know if it is possible."

Aeris pushed herself away from the rail and turned away from Cloud, walking away from the rail. Cloud watched her as she pulled her long brown hair back up and tied the ribbon around it, securing it all with the ball of Materia to keep her hair back. When she was done she ran her fingers through the long strips of her fringe, moving it back out of her eyes.

"U-Umm…" she said suddenly. She turned back to Cloud. "Do you mind if I stay up in the canyon for a bit? I want to talk to the elders about the Planet."

Cloud shook his head. "No, go ahead," he said.

"Thank you," Aeris replied with a smile.

* * *

As everyone suspected the night drew in quick and fast once the sun disappeared behind the horizon. The deep orange-red glow of evening rapidly disappeared and became the dark blue of the night. Dozens of stars became visible after that, until the sky was filled with them, clustering together in thick, sparkly dots. 

Down in Cosmo Canyon, the campfire in the middle of the village was still burning brightly. With fresh sticks of wood thrown in to keep it going for another hour, the fire emitted a lovely warm glow around the area, keeping Cloud and the others all nice and warm as they sat and enjoyed the night sky. Aeris had returned after a while talking with the elders, and Red XIII was also sat with them, his head resting on his paws as he stared into the fiery sparks of the fire.

On the whole, Cosmo Canyon had been a very interesting place. Barret, Cait and Tifa had learned a great deal from the people – about the Planet and about the canyon itself. The canyon did not impress only Yuffie, although that was not much of a surprise considering her one-track mind. Even as they all sat around the campfire, with Red XIII's head on his paws and Cait curled up on top of the Mog, Yuffie was the only one restless, itching to go somewhere.

"What a boring place, just like I thought!" she said with a fierce frown, deliberately making her voice louder so everyone could hear her. "I wanna go somewhere! Let's go find some Materia!"

No one took any notice of Yuffie's outburst, and the girl slumped on the ground in a huff, her Shuriken pointing down with her arms hanging over the top, trying her hardest to look bored. Cait was sat near to her, lying on his side with his head resting on his closed fist as he stared into the fire.

"I wonder how many years it's been…" the cat mumbled quietly to himself. "Gosh, it brings back memories…"

"Cosmo Canyon… This's where AVALANCHE was born…" Barret said suddenly, and Cait looked across the fire to him. Barret was sat with his legs spread out in front of him, close to the warm heat of the fire. "I promised my guys someday… when we saved the Planet from the Shinra, that we'd all go to Cosmo Canyon to celebrate… Biggs… Wedge… Jessie… Now they're all gone… died for the planet."

Saying those words make Barret stop and reconsider. Back in Midgar… As far as Biggs, Wedge and Jessie were concerned, AVALANCHE was all about saving the Planet from the Shinra. For Barret, and Tifa he supposed, it was more a case of revenge for the pain that had been caused to them.

"Really? To save the planet?" he asked aloud. He sighed heavily, looking to the rocky ground. "We all… we all hate the Shinra… Do I even got a reason to go on? Will they… will they ever forgive me?" As though to answer his own question he shook his head, feeling he wasn't making much sense. "…Right now, I really don't know. But I know one thing. If there's anything I can do, to save the planet… or the people livin' on it. …Then I'm gonna do it! I don't care if it's justice or revenge, or whatever. I don't care…… let 'em decide for themselves."

In a rush Barret stood up, feeling suddenly energised after staring for so long into the fire. It was as though the heat of the fire was now burning through his veins, pumping him up with new energy. Before it had been all about revenge, and although he still wanted revenge on the Shinra for what they did to Corel, hearing the words of the elders of Cosmo Canyon made him want to do more for the Planet. And he expressed that desire vocally, making everyone around him jump.

"Urrrrrgh! I'm gonna do it!" he roared, his voice echoing through the canyon. "Again… Again… AVALANCHE's born again!"

Everyone stared at Barret as he stood there for a moment or two, his gun-arm raised high above his head as he stared up at the sky with fire burning in his eyes. Then one by one everyone turned and looked away, looking off in different directions as silence once again spread around them.

As Tifa looked away, she turned her gaze back towards the fire burning in front of her. Her boots lay close to the burning sparks of wood, and she could feel the heat through the thickness of the leather, but she wasn't interested in that. She was more interested in staring into the flames themselves, and watching the way the fiery sparks danced about in the air, jumping up and disappearing into the air. Towards the middle of the fire the colour turned to a deeper red, with faint shadows moving in the centre. She stared silently for a second before she blinked and looked at the ground, her eyes watering from the heat.

"Cloud…" she said suddenly, her voice quiet. Cloud, who was sat beside her, looked up. Tifa pulled her knees up towards her chest and wrapped her arms around them, feeling her boots beginning to cool now her feet were away from the fire. "Bonfires are funny, aren't they? They make you remember all sorts of things."

Cloud gazed at her, and for a moment he saw the same look on Tifa's face that he had seen on Aeris's face outside Bugenhagen's house. It was a sad expression, the corners of her mouth turned down into a silent frown.

"You know, Cloud. Five years ago…" the young woman said. Cloud nodded, surprised at Tifa's nervous tone. Tifa suddenly shook her head and her dark brown hair fell over her face and shielded her scared look from Cloud. "……It's nothing. No, forget it. I'm afraid to ask…"

"What is it…?" Cloud asked.

Tifa sighed heavily, and brushed her hair aside as Barret finally sat down after feeling awkward as the only one standing. "It feels like… if feels like you're going far away…" she said. She turned and looked at Cloud, staring deep into his eyes. "You really, really are…… you… right?"

Cloud blinked and looked back at Tifa, unsure of what to say. The young woman quickly turned away from Cloud, choosing to put her head on her knees to avoid looking at him. While she wasn't looking Cloud turned towards the fire and looked into it the flames.

They looked like ordinary flames, flickering around as they licked over the wooden sticks, burning over the brown bark until it became dark and crisp. Every time there was a gentle breeze the flames swished over to one side, threatening to blow out but always returning to its original position. Maybe it was just him, but he couldn't see whatever it was Tifa was seeing. Unless she was thinking about Nibelheim again.

On the other side of the fire, Aeris was also staring into the fire. "I learned a lot," she said over the gentle roar of the fire. "The elders taught me many things. About the Cetra… And the Promised Land… I'm…… alone… I'm all alone now…"

"But I'm… we're here for you, right?" said Cloud.

"I know. I know, but… I am the only…… Cetra."

"Does that mean we can't help?"

Aeris didn't reply. Instead she just slowly turned her head away from the fire, letting its light shine on her hair instead. The fiery red glow shone against her silky brown hair, and made the Materia flush red. "……" Aeris breathed silently. Clearly her talk with the elders had not eased her worries as much as she thought it would.

"…Long ago," Red XIII said suddenly, not lifting his head from his paws. "…When I was still very small. We were all around this flame…" Just as suddenly he shook his head, and looked down. "No, never mind…"

Cloud sat upright from where he had leaned back and looked over at Red XIII. "What happened?" he asked. He knew something had been on Red XIII's mind, for he had been quiet ever since they had sat around the fire for warmth, watching the night sky take over.

The hound sighed heavily, wondering where to begin. The others waited while he scratched his nose with his paw and settled down again, with one paw resting above the other to support his head as he lay down.. "It's about my parents," he said finally. "When I talk about my mother, I am full of pride and joy… And that's fine. …But when I remember my father, my heart is full of anger…"

"…You really can't forgive your father…?"

At the sound of Bugenhagen's voice, Red XIII raised his head from his paws and looked across the fire. Bugenhagen was standing on the other side, his body outlined by the light of the fire. Although Red XIII couldn't see his grandfather's expression, he was sure that it wasn't a smile.

"Of course," he replied stubbornly. "He…… left my mother for dead. When the Gi tribe attacked, he ran off by himself, leaving mother and the people of the Canyon!" He shook his head fiercely. Inside him he could feel his heart thumping loudly inside his chest, sending a rush of hot, angry blood through his veins.

Across the fire, Bugenhagen stared at Red XIII. Slowly he was piecing together everything that Red XIII must have been thinking for all the years since then. As a young pup back then, with no real understanding of what was going on around him, it was no wonder that he would misunderstand and form his own truth. He sighed lightly as he came to a decision, and looked up at Red XIII.

"…Come, Nanaki," he said. "There's something you should see."

Red XIII looked up in surprise. "…?"

Bugenhagen turned away and began to head off away from the fire. He then stopped and turned his head back to the group sitting around the fire. "The place may be dangerous. Cloud, will you and one other person come with us?"

With that remark, Bugenhagen turned away and headed back towards the inner canyon. Red XIII walked slowly behind him, his head up in anxiety but his tail lowered and shuffling limply across the ground as though it was already asleep. They stopped by the stairs and looked back at the campfire, waiting for Cloud.

Cloud looked around at the others, looking for their opinion. Tifa and Aeris were still pretty quiet and didn't look like they were in the mood for any immediate trips right then. Cait had turned away, mumbling quietly to himself about it being too dangerous and he didn't want to ruin fur. The only ones who didn't look tired or put off were Barret and Yuffie. Cloud was about to ask Barret to come along, when Yuffie's eyes lit up as though she just remembered something.

"Does he want to show him THAT?" she asked aloud. "You know, maybe there's some Materia that's been passed on for generations in this Canyon?"

Before anyone could stop here – although no one did – Yuffie leapt up to her feet, Shuriken in one hand and her armour in the other. Hurriedly she strapped the armour across her arm and began to punch the air fiercely, firing herself up for the battles ahead. Then she jumped away from the campfire and dashed towards Bugenhagen and Red XIII, who were still waiting for them. Cloud sighed and shook his head, before he also crossed the campfire and headed towards the canyon.

As the new group of four turned and headed back inside the canyon, Aeris slowly turned towards Tifa.

"I wonder what he wants to show Red XIII…?" she asked.


	5. Part 05: Chapter 05

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

Emerald Princess of Vernea

Chapter Five

Cloud, Red XIII and Yuffie all followed closely behind Bugenhagen as he continued to lead them through the main part of the cavern, slowly taking them upwards towards the second floor. The corridors were all empty now, with all the shops shut and doors closed, and the only light coming from fiery torches that lined the walls and cast dancing shadows just like the campfire outside. Their silhouettes moved and danced freely across the walls as they headed on.

The corridors were also eerily silent, which only enhanced the mood that had settled among them. It was an uneasy mood, for Bugenhagen and Red XIII were both so very silent as they walked along. The only sound came from Cloud and Yuffie's boots as they walked, along with the soft patter of Red XIII's paws on the rock. There was no laughter or chatter anymore, and the whole canyon was suddenly given a very different, almost scary air.

They headed round and up towards the second floor of the canyon. For a moment Cloud wondered if Bugenhagen was taking them back up to his house, but he quickly dismissed the idea as Bugenhagen went straight past the ladder and stopped in front of the strange machine he had spotted earlier. His eyes glanced over towards the locked metal door beside them, before he turned back to Bugenhagen. The old man was right by the machine now, looking back at them as they gathered around him.

"Ho Ho Hoooo," he said. "Are we all set?"

Cloud looked around at Yuffie and Red XIII. The feisty young ninja was all set, with her shuriken close to hand and her armguard fixed firmly in place. Red XIII was equally prepared, but Cloud could see the sudden anxiety that had filled the hound. His muscles were firm and ready, but his tail was twitching nervously – something that was beyond his control and reminded Cloud that, despite his maturity, Red XIII was still only a teenager at heart.

"Yeah," Cloud replied finally, turning back to Bugenhagen.

The old man nodded in reply. "Ho Ho Hoooo. Shall we go?"

Bugenhagen then turned away from Cloud and the others and faced the machine that stood behind him. Over the years many layers of dust had covered the machine, and there were even faint traces of rust forming at the edges, another sign that it had not been used for a very long time.

As they watched, Bugenhagen went right up to the machine and placed his palm firmly on the side of what at first appeared to be a blank, thin metal plate. Once his palm as in place a long line of green light slid down from underneath the plate and under Bugenhagen's hand, scanning his palm print. Once the scan was complete a loud whoosh of air wafted in from the side as the metal door suddenly slid open.

Beyond the door lay a tunnel, shrouded almost completely in darkness. They could not see more than a few metres in, or what lay beyond it. Bugenhagen stepped away from the machine and hovered in front of the door, motioning to Red XIII and the others to come closer.

"All right. Come in, come in."

Red XIII walked forward and stood beside Bugenhagen. He peered into the dark, shadowy tunnel, but no matter how hard he strained his eyes he could see no more than a few metres ahead. A soft wave of heat and light fell over him and he saw Cloud's dark figure standing next to him, a fiery torch in his hand to light the way.

Swallowing hard, Red XIII took the first step into the dark tunnel. Cloud and Yuffie were right behind him, the bright glow of the torch lighting up more of the area so they could see a little more ahead.

They had walked no further than a few paces when Red XIII suddenly realised that Bugenhagen was not following them. He stopped and turned back to the old man, who was still by the entrance. "Hey? Aren't you going with us, Grandpa?"

"What are you crazy?" Bugenhagen replied in surprise. "It's dangerous in there! I told you that! You want an old man like me to go first? I'll be right behind you."

As if to prove his point, Bugenhagen then entered the tunnel. He paused for a moment as he slid the door shut behind them, leaving it open just enough so that a crack of light from outside could be seen through the shadows. Now they were almost entirely in shadow, with only the light of the torch guiding the way.

They all remained very close together as they headed down the tunnel, Bugenhagen staying at the very back of the group just like he had promised, hovering above Red XIII's tail. Cloud held the torch up in front of him as they walked, its orange-red light lighting up the walls for a good few metres around them.

Even so they very nearly missed the entrance to the next floor – accessible only through a large hole in the middle of the floor. It was naturally carved, and had a thick length of rope tied to a short wooden pole that had been jammed roughly into the rock. After confirming with Bugenhagen that this was the way to go, they began the terrifying task of heading down.

Going down the hole was a much more difficult task than it first proved to be, especially since it was hard to see even with the torchlight. As Cloud held the torch out over the hole they could see another rocky ledge below. Red XIII was able to jump down easily and landed on the ledge, while Bugenhagen simply floated down through the shadows until he hovered beside the hound.

When it came to Yuffie's turn to slide down, she decided to play it safe and use the rope ladder to head down. With her fingers curled firmly around the thick sides of the rope she slid down, careful not to swing too much on the rope in case she accidentally slipped off the edge of the rock and tumbled deeper into the hole. Thankfully she reached the floor easily, and allowed Cloud to follow her.

They had to go down a number of similar levels in order to reach the bottom. Each level they went down was more terrifying than the last, for the air was becoming colder and thicker with a deeper sense of unease and apprehension.

They finally reached the bottom after climbing down a long length of rope – much longer than Red XIII had anticipated when he took the leap down and ended up falling further towards the shadows below. It was only his agile reflexes that kept him from hurting himself and landing safely.

Once they were all on the ground, they headed on towards the next area of the cavern. Bugenhagen directed them towards an open hole in the side of the wall, barely visible in the darkness. It seemed to be the only way to go, so they went through.

They were surprised to discover that it was lighter in the next room, despite being so deep inside the depths of Cosmo Canyon. The light came from the jagged walls and ceilings, where a strange, gooey substance lightly covered the walls like the trail of a snail. The substance gave off a foul smell – or maybe that came from what else was lying hidden inside the shadows of the tunnel.

Bugenhagen was leading the way now, braving the front of the line and guiding them all through. He seemed to know which way to go despite it being so dark, and the others were reassured that at least someone knew where they were going.

"Over here," the old man said, stopping next to the wall of a tunnel. He pointed towards an even darker shadowy gap where the gooey substance did not shine. "In there is a switch. It should open the door to the next chamber. Be careful, though."

Cloud nodded, and passed the torch over to Bugenhagen. He walked into the small dark crevice and began to feel around for the switch. For a while all he could feel was solid rock, but then he felt the old feel of wood and metal and began to work the switch. It was rusty, though, so he took his time.

As they all stood there in silence waiting for Cloud to finish working the switch, Yuffie suddenly felt a cold wave pass across the side of her face. It was a light touch, as though cold fingers were slowly feeling their way across her skin, heading down towards her neck. Before they could get there she jumped and cried out, flicking her shuriken out to attack whatever it was behind her.

She was even more surprised when her shuriken hit the side of the wall, hitting rock instead of flesh. She opened her eyes and stared at the point where her shuriken blade penetrated the rock, and the empty space around it. She was positive that she had felt something touch her face, and yet there was absolutely nothing there. Had she just imagined it?

"Yuffie?" said Red XIII, looking over at the girl. "What's wrong? Did you hear something?"

Yuffie turned back and shook her head. "No," she replied, rather curtly. "I just had a twitch, that's all."

With that she turned and walked away, taking a few steps away from the safety of the firelight and deeper into the shadows. Within those few steps her foot caught the edge of something lying in a heap on the ground. And as she looked down and saw what it was, her heart almost stopped beating.

It was a skeleton – a skeleton stripped down to its bones lying in a helpless heap against the wall of the tunnel. There were a few shreds of clothing left on its frail frame, and in its bony fingers was an old metal sword covered in dust and dirt. The bones were grey with age, and as she had touched the side of its leg it broke. Yuffie stared, mouth open and her hands trembling.

Yet nothing scared her more as to what happened next. As she stood there staring at the seemingly lifeless skeleton, it suddenly twitched and lifted up its head to look at her. Yuffie's entire body began to tremble as those empty black sockets that once held eyes turned and gazed up at her, its lifeless grin leering up at her.

Yuffie turned away, a loud scream escaping her breathless lungs as she ran back towards Red XIII and the others. Bugenhagen and Red XIII stared as the girl skidded to a stop beside them, her face pale even in the firelight.

"All right, this place is WAY creepy!" Yuffie shouted, her voice trembling. "I've had enough! I say we go back right now."

"Go back if you want to," said Cloud from the crevice, his fingers working through the last bits of the switch. "But you'll be on your own in the dark."

Yuffie glared angrily at him, but she had no time to yell her reply. Cloud finished pulling the switch, and a loud grating noise echoed throughout the tunnels. At the same time the cold chill in the air turned even colder, making everyone shiver.

Laughter then began to ring throughout the tunnels. Eerie, deathly laughter, filled with mockery and hatred. Cloud looked ahead into the crevice as a white figure suddenly emerged from behind the wall. A thin white face with red eyes glared at him before bursting out of the wall, passing right through Cloud's face and shoulders and out into the tunnels.

There were more of the ghastly looking creatures floating around the tunnel, each of them laughing at the terrified group below as they flew around in the air. Yuffie was screaming, while Red XIII snarled and snapped his jaws at any of them that dared to come near. He managed to lock his jaws around one of them, but was shocked when his teeth passed right through the flesh. In response the ghostly figure turned and laughed, before flying off with its comrades into the tunnel.

Bugenhagen was the only one unafraid of the strange creatures. He walked on with the torch up towards the top of the tunnel, where a large door had opened up in the side of the wall. He looked up at the quickly scattering ghosts, watching as they began to fly off down the other tunnels away from them.

"Ho Ho Hoooo," he laughed. "Everyone here's a ghost of the Gi tribe. Killed in a certain battle."

Red XIII stopped snapping his jaws at the empty air, and looked over at his grandfather. "A certain battle…?" he asked. There was a question buzzing under the tip of his tongue, but Bugenhagen was talking again and he didn't dare ask it.

"The vengeful spirits of the Gi didn't disappear, and couldn't return to the Lifestream…" the old man said. He motioned them all towards the door. "We still have far to go. Ho Ho Hoooo." He then walked boldly through the open door, forcing the others to follow him if they wanted to remain in the safety of the firelight. Red XIII followed almost reluctantly, wondering about what Bugenhagen was up to.

The next area was similar to the first, although there were many hazardous drops leading to deeper parts of the cavern. So the group stayed in a single line, with Bugenhagen holding up the torch at the front to light the way. With the light they could see a little over the edge of the paths, which rapidly turned into shadow. Cloud even dropped a rock down, but he could not hear it land.

They were very glad to have Bugenhagen with them at that point, for he was able to warn them of all the hidden traps within the cave. One in particular was just ahead. A slippery, oily substance had been thickly laid across the floor near the end of the path, heading right towards a series of sharp metal spikes waiting at the end of the path. Without Bugenhagen's guidance, they would have stepped on the oil and skidded right to their deaths.

So they carefully made their way around the substance, listening to the disappointed laughs of the Gi ghosts as they headed up towards the next area.

There was another cave door at the top of the next area, and Bugenhagen stopped again. He turned and waited for the others to catch up to him, and waved towards the door.

"As you can see, this cave leads to the back of Cosmo Canyon," he explained. He turned to the door and floated a little towards it, letting the firelight create more dancing shadows around it. "It was unfortunate that the Gi were larger than us. If they attacked through here, we wouldn't have stood a chance."

"……" Red XIII mumbled thoughtfully.

Bugenhagen looked down at the hound's serious face, before turning back to the door. "Let's move on," he said, and headed through the door.

The others followed him through, now very aware of the increasing sense of hatred that filled every tunnel. They were sure that they were coming close to the source of all the hatred now, and thinking of what it could be made their hearts skip a beat.

* * *

Deep inside the dark depths of the next tunnels, the sleeping creature slowly stirred as it heard the sound of faint footsteps enter the cavern. With it came the equally faint scent of meat – living, breathing meat that could mean only one thing, and that was fresh prey. Slowly the creature opened up a few of its many tiny black eyes and peered out through the shadows towards the ground below.

Through the many twists and turns of the old white web that hung on all sides of the cavern, the creature could see its prey. There were four of them in all – an elderly man, a much younger man and a younger girl, as well as a dog. Although it did not care for the old man, the creature knew right away that the other two were perfect prey. Although something about the dog made it uneasy, its scent recalling some faint memory of many years passed.

Its mind awakening with the smell of food, the creature began to uncurl its eight stick-like legs. Each of its joints faintly cracked as they unfolded and stretched out, the sharp claws of its feet grasping onto the non-sticky parts of the web that it had made its home. Eight legs attached to a small rounded body began to move steadily across the ceiling.

Down below, Cloud and the others had just reached the edge of the web. It spread over four different tunnels and left its remains all along the walls, as well as the remains of a few of its unfortunate victims that were caught and snatched up.

Unable to go further because of the web, Cloud stepped forward and placed one finger on one of the silver strings. Strangely enough it seemed to shimmer at his touch, the entire web shaking every so slightly. It was also incredibly sticky, he discovered, stretching slightly as he pulled his hand away before flicking back into place again.

"Can we get through?" asked Red XIII.

Cloud did not answer him, and instead decided to try something a little more forceful. He drew his sword from behind him and held it up above his head. He then brought it down hard, the blade hitting the sticky edges and cutting through. The strings were tougher than he thought, and it took a few more strong pushes to get the blade right through the string.

The moment the blade sliced through the web, a gentle ringing sound began to echo throughout the tunnel. Cloud froze, his blade still stuck in the edges of the web. Everyone around him froze as well, listening as the faint ringing vibrated across the web and up into the tunnel, like a warning bell.

Up in the recesses of the tunnel, the creature stirred a little more. It turned its body slowly towards the sound of the ringing, using its more accurate hearing to guide it towards the web that had been disturbed by its prey. Its small but deadly jaws clicked loudly in response to the ringing, beginning to quicken its pace before its prey could figure out what was going on.

"I don't like the sound of that clicking," Bugenhagen commented, still holding the torch up so they could all see around them.

Red XIII lifted his head suddenly as he caught a foul scent on the air, and he began to growl deep within his throat. Yuffie looked round and round, until finally she lifted up her head and cried out, pointing to the top of the web.

All at once everyone turned and looked up, and there, on the top of the web, was the creature. A gigantic spider at least four times their size, standing perched on the other side of the web against the ceiling. Its jaws clicked hungrily as it opened all eight of its eyes on the group, sticky saliva dripping from its mouth.

"Cloud!" Red XIII shouted to him. "Get away from there!"

Cloud tugged hard on his sword, trying to pull it free of the web. It wouldn't budge, and as he looked down he saw that the ends of the web had melted to form a firm sticky coating around his blade, solidifying to hold the blade completely in place. No matter how hard he tugged and twisted the blade, the new coating just wouldn't let go and his sword was stuck.

Above him, the spider slowly stuck two of its legs through one of the small holes of the web, supporting itself before it stuck its body through the gap. Lastly it brought its legs out so that it was fully on their side of the web. Its eight eyes moved around from one person to another, from Bugenhagen to Red XIII to Yuffie, before finally settling its gaze on Cloud at the bottom of the web. It then began to move slowly downwards, its jaws clicking even more hungrily.

Cloud continued to pull on his sword, determined to get it free of the web. He could hear the spider's jaws clicking above him, one after another; preparing to make its rapid pounce that would end his life. He then had an idea, and snapped his head around to Red XIII.

"Red XIII!" he shouted back to the hound. "Give me your Fire materia!"

For a moment Red XIII just stared, unable to catch on to what Cloud was thinking. He suddenly felt a tug as Yuffie snatched the green ball of materia from his headband and hurled it towards Cloud. Cloud caught it in his hand and turned back to his sword, pulling out the Lightning materia and slotting in the Fire materia. He activated it instantly and jumped back away from the blade.

As the materia glowed, a single fiery spark ignited at the blade's tip. Within a second that spark exploded and enlarged, a coating of pure flame spreading across the blade. It touched the sticky substance of the web and that also ignited, immediately spreading from the sword to the rest of the web.

The spider didn't have a chance to react. With its poor sight all it could see was a sudden red blur before the flames rose up and engulfed it, its body bursting into flames. The spider screeched loudly, until the flames silenced its screech.

By the time the flames faded, there was nothing left of the spider. There was nothing left of the web, either, both of them completely destroyed by the flames. All that was left was a few dusty remains of the spider's body, crumbling to dust on the floor. Cloud's sword was now free, lying on the pile of dust. Cloud picked it up, taking out the Fire materia and throwing it back to Red XIII.

"Well, that was… interesting…" Red XIII said, walking over to the edges of the tunnel and looking up to where the web had been.

Yuffie fell down onto her knees, her hands falling limp at her sides. "I don't like this place anymore," she groaned. "Materia or not, I want to leave. Can we go back?"

"Not yet," Bugenhagen told her. "We still have a little way to go yet. Follow me."

With that the old man headed on through the tunnel, the torch lighting up the dark sides of the walls. Red XIII and Cloud followed closely behind, while Yuffie slowly climbed to her feet and shuffled on after them, muttering moodily under her breath.

Bugenhagen came to a stop again at the very top of the cavern, beside yet another cave door leading into darkness.

"This warrior went through the cave alone," he said, looking through the door. "Fighting attackers one after another…"

"Grandpa…" Red XIII said, the question burning underneath his tongue. "That warrior…"

Bugenhagen looked down at Red XIII's face. He still looked like the earnest young Nanaki he had always known, but now there were traces of fear and anxiety in his face. He smiled faintly.

"Ho Ho Hoooo. We're almost there," he said.

They went on through the next tunnel, and entered what they presumed to be the final cavern. It was a much larger cavern, and all around them were large chunks of rock and stalagmites, as well as stalactites hanging down from the ceiling. There were also a number of open pits filled with burning hot lava, creating giant clouds of steam that filled the cavern. There was also a foul stench hanging in the air.

At the very head of the cavern, on the far wall, there was a giant carving. It was built in the shape of a face or a battle mask, glaring out silently at the rest of the cavern with angry eyes.

Bugenhagen was the first to enter the cavern, and from the moment he passed underneath the door he felt the change in the air. All the anxiety, all the hatred… all of it was centred in this very cave. There were many Gi tribe ghosts roaming this cave, hiding in corners like more spiders waiting to attack. Yet, what scared him the most was the giant rocky mask blocking the cave's exit.

"What is this…?" he asked, stopping in the centre of the cave and looking up. His hand was shaking as he held the torch, sensing the anger coming from the statue.

Red XIII walked up behind him, also sensing the hatred coming from the statue. "Grandpa, is he…?"

"After death… The ghosts of the Gi… Like stagnant air… This… can't be!"

At that moment, the eyes of the statue suddenly lit up into a fierce and angry red. Like dark red pupils they darted around until they locked eyes with the group standing in the middle of the cavern. Then the ghostly tongue licked out from the open mouth of the statue, and a low growl rumbled deep within it.

* * *

**_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_**

Sorry about the wait for this chapter – I had a quick break to refuel my passion. I may change a few things about the next boss – purely because I can't fully remember what the boss looks like. If anyone knows a site or anything that has pictures of all the bosses from FF7, could they send me the link? I would really appreciate it.


	6. Part 05: Chapter 06

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

Emerald Princess of Vernea

Chapter Six

The entire cavern began to shake and quiver as the statue growled, awakening all of the sleeping spirits within it. Dozens of white ghostly figures seeped out of the rock, each still dressed in full battle gear. They floated up towards the top of the cavern, beginning to swirl in a large circle across the ceiling until they were just a blur.

On the ground, Cloud and the others stood frozen, watching as the spirits swirled and swirled, combining their energy. Their swirling created a gust of wind that blew throughout the whole cave, blowing through Cloud's hair and Red XIII's fur, making them shiver and the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end. It also blew through the torch that Bugenhagen still held, and eventually it blew so hard that the red flame was blown out, leaving them in the dark red glow of the lava.

They turned their gazes back towards the giant stone carving in the wall, and watched as something began to emerge from the shadows of its face. Slowly but surely the creature emerged – tall and strong, with so much armour on its body that it looked gigantic. Like all the other ghostly figures its clothes were tattered and torn, and its body semi-transparent and ghost-like but rapidly turning solid. It didn't take more than one guess to figure out just who this creature was.

This was the ghost leader of the Gi tribe: Gi Natak.

Red XIII growled fiercely as he caught the scent of the Gi leader. That scent stirred up many memories within the depths of his mind – memories that had lain suppressed for many years until this moment. Memories of the fateful day the Gi tribe attacked Cosmo Canyon, of how many of the canyon's inhabitants were brutally slaughtered… And of how his mother fought with all her strength to fight off the Gi and protect the canyon.

Unable to contain his anger anymore, Red XIII suddenly leaped forward, his claws extended to their full length and his teeth so visible they glowed with the colour of the lava. His muscles were powered up by his anger – anger towards the Gi for taking his mother from him.

It was that powerful hatred that made him coil his muscles and leap high up into the air, high up above Gi Natak's head. He brought in his back legs and tucked them underneath his stomach, tilting his head down towards the head of the Gi leader. He began to fall and it was then that he pushed his hind legs out, giving him an extra burst of speed and strength as he powered down to the Gi leader's head, clamping his jaws around partially solid flesh.

Gi Natak flung his head around, trying to force the hound off his helmet. Red XIII kept his grip and stayed on, his body twisting back and forth as the ghostly leader fought back. Eventually Gi Natak reached up with one long arm and wrapped his fingers around Red XIII's waist, pulling him free before hurling him against one of the walls right above a pit of lava. He fell down onto a small ledge just above the lava, so close that even one slip would send him falling into it.

"Red XIII!" Cloud called.

He drew his sword and made to run forward, but as he did a sudden gust of wind made him stop and step back. The Gi leader stood with one arm raised up towards the ghostly swirl of spirits that covered the ceiling. As Cloud watched the swirl parted for just a second, allowing two fiery balls to drop down towards the ground where Yuffie and Cloud were standing.

Cloud managed to jump away in time as the fiery ball landed at his feet, but Yuffie never saw it coming. The fiery ball hit her back and sank right in, disappearing inside her body. She cried out briefly before her entire body convulsed and she fell down onto the floor. Bugenhagen was by her side in an instant, turning the girl onto her back and checking for injury.

The other fiery ball was hovering in front of Cloud, and Cloud could see directly into the fire. There was a small ghostly face burning inside the flames – the face of one of the Gi tribe. The fiery ball must have been some kind of protection or shield, allowing the Gi ghost to have some sort of physical presence. The ball suddenly darted forward, and Cloud raised his sword to attack.

On the far side of the cavern, Red XIII was just climbing to his feet. He looked over across the pool of bubbling lava and saw Cloud stuck in the middle of a fierce battle with the Soul Fire, fending off its fire attacks with the flat end of his sword. He could also see Yuffie, unconscious by Bugenhagen's side. What was important to him, however, was the Gi leader, who was standing and watching the fray with a smug satisfaction.

He jumped off the small ledge he was on, just as it crumbled and fell into the lava. He landed on the main floor again and charged forward, zipping past Cloud like a blur and right through the Soul Fire. The spirit inside the ball made a terrible screeching sound as Red XIII's claws sliced through the flame, and it disappeared with a faint pop and a sizzling sound. Red XIII didn't stop there, and charged once again towards the Gi leader to make another attack.

Bugenhagen watched silently as Red XIII and Cloud made their attack on the Gi leader. Yuffie was still unconscious, but as the Gi leader cried out in pain after one good strike from Cloud, the girl's eyes snapped open. For a moment there was a flicker of flame in her normally dark eyes, and she very slowly turned her head towards Bugenhagen. A cold grin appeared on her face as she looked at the old man, and she began to stand up.

Bugenhagen stared as Yuffie stood up menacingly. She turned towards him, her eyes empty but her face cold. Bugenhagen suddenly jumped back as he realised what was happening, but Yuffie held out her shuriken and placed it at the old man's throat. Fire was flickering faintly in her eyes, along with the laughing face of one of the Gi ghosts that had taken over her body.

"Move, old man," said Yuffie, although her voice was not her own. It carried with it the superior, laughing tone of the Gi inside her. That laugh grew even more sardonic as she began to lead the old man back, urging him towards the edge of one of the hot pits of lava. Bugenhagen had no choice but to move back.

Out of the corner of his eye, Cloud saw what was happening below.

"Red XIII!" he said.

Red XIII looked, and in that moment of distraction the Gi leader swung out with both his arms and threw the two away from him. The fell to the floor and skidded across the rock, moving until they hit the far wall. Dust began to settle around them, as they lay dazed and barely able to take note of what was going on.

Gi Natak made a horrible screeching sound that vibrated throughout the walls of the cavern. In response Yuffie nodded and continued to move forward, her shuriken just centimetres away from cutting Bugenhagen's neck. They were right next to the lava pit now, and Yuffie edged her shuriken forward to make Bugenhagen move over the edge.

"Stop!" cried a female voice from the far end of the cave.

Yuffie barely had time to turn as a huge white blob of fur suddenly pounced from behind and landed on her back. Bugenhagen quickly floated up and away from the pit as the girl fell forward onto the ground, her shuriken clattering beside her. The girl screeched as she turned her head, glaring as she saw the huge white body of Cait Sith sitting on her back, pinning her arms down so she could not move.

Cloud and Red XIII looked up from the ground and saw Cait Sith pinning Yuffie down. They stared in complete surprise, and in even more surprise as they saw Aeris standing at the entrance to the cave, a small bottle in her hand.

"Cloud!" she called to him. "Use this! It should kill it!"

She then threw the small blue bottle up into the air, throwing it towards Cloud. Cloud stood up and caught the bottle firmly in his hands. He pulled off the top and the healing scent of mint filled his lungs as he breathed in. It was normally used for healing, but to an undead creature it was deadly.

Seeing his possessed servant trapped beneath Cait Sith's bulk, Gi Natak roared fiercely and charged forward towards Cloud and Red XIII. Cloud quickly hurled the bottle up into the air, the glittering clear liquid of the potion flying out in small drops.

The bottle landed on the Gi leader's head, smashing into many pieces of blue glass that fell around the creature like rain. The liquid poured over Gi Natak's body and spread rapidly. Normally this potion would cure and heal wounds, but as it spread down over Gi Natak's ghoulish form, it made his skin steam.

He was still moving forward at that point, but as he continued to charge his form began to fade, rapidly being dissipated by the power of the potion. In fact when he reached Cloud he was nothing more than a transparent image, passing right through Cloud and disappearing on the other side in a rush of wind and dust. A single ball of materia fell when it disappeared, rolling to the ground.

Up in the air, the ghostly spirits that were still spinning in the air all screamed angrily, spinning faster and faster. With a sudden burst of speed they scattered, disappearing into the cave walls and out of sight once again.

The ghostly presence inside Yuffie began to disappear too. The girl shuddered and cried out as the ghost inside left her body and disappeared into the air, retreating now that its leader had been vanquished. Once it was free of Yuffie's body she fell limp, and Cait slowly climbed off her back.

The cave soon fell silent again. The aura of hatred that had filled the cave before had disappeared now, leaving the cave with a calm and almost serene feel. The giant stone carving of Gi Natak's mask had disappeared as well, leaving just a blank stone wall with a single doorway leading through to the final area.

With all the ghosts gone, Aeris walked fully into the cave and knelt beside Red XIII, who was just climbing to his feet. There was a gash on the side of his back leg, but luckily it wasn't serious. While she was busy helping him up, Bugenhagen floated down from the ledge he had been hiding on, and stopped beside Cloud.

"…Thank you, Cloud. Because of you, we survived," he said gratefully. Cloud nodded, and Bugenhagen turned to Red XIII. "Nanaki, you have grown strong, too."

Red XIII looked up at his grandfather. "……Oh yeah?" he asked. Although he desperately tried to hide it, it was clear that Red XIII was extremely proud to hear Bugenhagen say those words.

Bugenhagen nodded. "Now I know that it wasn't a mistake bringing you here…" he said. He went over to the fallen torch and picked it up. Its fire was out now, but as Bugenhagen passed his hand over the top of the wood it caught fire again, and the brighter light filled the cave as the old man walked over to the last door. "Come, I have something I want to show you."

With the torch now lighting the way again, Bugenhagen proceeded to walk through the final door with Red XIII. As they walked through, Cloud turned towards Aeris and Cait, who were standing behind him.

"What are you guys doing here, anyway?" he asked them. He was surprised when Cait suddenly turned away from him, the Mog's foot tapping anxiously on the ground. He turned to Aeris for answers, and was equally surprised to find the girl grinning at him happily.

"It was Cait's idea," Aeris said. "He didn't like the idea of you all coming down here alone, so we decided to help you. By the looks of things we came at a good time."

Cloud nodded. They certainly had come at a good time. If they hadn't have intervened, the spirit possessing Yuffie could have turned her on anyone. At least now the Gi leader was at rest and all the other spirits fading away into the Lifestream at last. Then he, Aeris and Cait followed on through the door, leaving Yuffie alone in the lava-filled cave.

"I told you I didn't like this place," she complained, although no one could hear her. "Why wouldn't anyone listen to me?"

In a fury she slammed her fist onto the ground, making the earth around her shake a little. Raising her eyes she saw the green ball of materia dropped by the Gi tribe leader. Although it was green on the outside, she could see a dark hole inside it, coming from the power of gravity it held within it. Cautiously she crawled over to it, and in a single quick movement she snatched it up and held it in her hands, before slipping it into her pocket. She then stood up and followed Cloud and the others.

* * *

Red XIII was surprised when he emerged from the tunnel. He was surprised because he found that he was no longer inside the canyon. Up above him there was the clear sky filled with the stars of the heavens, and a cool, gentle breeze was blowing through the air. There was a rugged path around him, as well as a tall cliff accessible only from the large rocks that jutted up out of the earth. 

As Red XII stepped out and looked up, his one good eye opened up wide in an expression of both amazement and fear. For a second he couldn't move, instead listening to his heart beginning to beat faster than he thought possible, and feel the blood pulse through his head. His paws trembled as he walked up to the first rock, the rough surface feeling awkward against the soft padding. With a sudden burst of energy he jumped up to the next rock, his neck sore as he strained to look up.

"This is…" he said, but he couldn't finish his sentence. His voice simply refused to finish the words he was trying to say.

Behind him, Bugenhagen slowly floated towards the first rock, slowly nodding his head. "…The warrior who fought against the Gi," he said, his voice echoing slightly around the canyon. "He kept them from taking even one step into Cosmo Canyon. But he was never able to return to town…" Red XIII slowly turned and looked at him, and Bugenhagen nodded. "Look, Nanaki. Look at your father, at the warrior, Seto."

Red XIII did look. His gaze wandered back towards the top of the cliff, where a large stone figurine was standing. He had recognised it instantly, even after all these years. He remembered the large bulk of the hound-like body, with muscles powerful enough to carry more than twice his own weight. Around his head were the markings of his tribe – the many red feathers symbolising his age and his status. Red XIII had no choice but to recognise him.

The only thing now was that his entire body was stone. Many arrows had pierced the hound's skin and were still there, turned to stone like the rest of him. He was frozen in a proud, firm stance, glancing over the rest of the canyon like a guardian.

"That's… That's…… Seto…?"

Bugenhagen nodded again, and also looked up at the stone statue. "Seto continued to fight the Gi tribe here. …To protect this Canyon," he explained to the younger hound. "Even after the Gi's poisonous arrows turned his body to stone…… Even after they all ran away… Seto continued to protect us. And he continues to protect us, even now."

"Even now…" Red XIII whispered in awe. He could not believe the story he was hearing, nor could he believe that what he was seeing was actually real.

"You thought that he was a coward and ran away. But he, alone, risked his life to protect Cosmo Canyon. That is your father, Seto."

Red XIII closed his eyes and shook his head, and looked back. "That… that is Seto? …?" He turned his head round and looked at Bugenhagen. "Did mother know?"

"Ho Ho Hoooo… She knew," replied the old man, nodding as he laughed. "The two of them made me promise to keep this cave shut. They asked me to seal it myself and not to tell a soul. They said we should forget about this cave."

Gradually, Red XIII lowered his gaze to look at the stone floor, mumbling quietly under his breath. He could not believe that he had been so stupid for all these years. All this time he had always believed that his father had run away during the battle with the Gi, leaving his mother for dead so that he might live. He had built up a deep hatred for his father because of that. Now he was seeing his father again, the truth finally revealed, and he couldn't say a word.

Bugenhagen turned away from Red XIII and looked at Cloud and the others, who had entered the cave moments after they did.

"Cloud… Would you mind leaving the two of us alone?" he asked humbly.

Cloud looked over at Red XIII, whose tail was now hanging limp on the ground. Understanding, he nodded at Bugenhagen and then turned away, motioning Aeris, Cait Sith and Yuffie to follow him back through the cavern to wait for them. Once Cloud and the others were gone, Bugenhagen turned back to Red XIII.

"Nanaki," he said, his voice suddenly growing rather stern. "I want you to continue your journey with Cloud and the others."

Red XIII's ears pricked up in an instant, and he turned to face Bugenhagen. "Grandpa?" he exclaimed, shocked.

Before he could say any more, Bugenhagen raised a hand and shook his head. "Listen, Nanaki. Cloud says they are trying to save the planet. Honestly, I don't think it can be done. For even if they stop every reactor on the planet, it's only going to postpone the inevitable. Even if they stop Sephiroth, everything will perish. But, Nanaki. I've been thinking lately. I've been thinking if there was anything WE can do, as a part of the planet, something to help a planet already in misery… No matter what happens, isn't it important to try? Am I just wishing against fate? I am too old to do anything about it… This year, I'll be 130. Ho Ho Hoooo. That is why, Nanaki, you must go with them! For my sake!"

"Grandpa…"

"I wanted to show you your real father before you left…" the old man continued. As he spoke he turned away, his voice suddenly quietening down to almost a whisper. "I'm so glad that you came back while I was still alive to show you."

"Grandpa… don't talk like that," Red XIII said, turning his head away to hide the faint specks of salty water forming in the corner of his eye. He didn't want Bugenhagen to see him cry. "I don't want to think of life… without you……"

"Ho Ho Hoooo. Well, I've had a long life," the old man began.

"Grandpa! You must live!"

Bugenhagen looked up in surprise at the volume of Red XIII's outburst. He had raised his voice until he was almost shouting, and there was an expression on his face unlike anything he had ever seen before on Red XIII's face. For a moment he seemed like a completely different person.

"I'll see to it," the hound said firmly, digging his claws into the rock. "I'll see what's happening to the planet. And I'll come back to tell you."

"Nanaki…"

The old man watched as Red XIII suddenly jumped down from the rock he was standing on and landed a metre away from Bugenhagen. Bugenhagen could see something different about the way Red XIII moved – there was a sudden fluidity in the way his muscles uncoiled to let him reach the floor, and something very familiar in the determined gaze in his eye.

"I am Nanaki of Cosmo Canyon!" shouted Red XIII, his voice raging with a strength he had never shown before. "The son of the warrior, Seto! I'll come back a warrior true to that noble name! So please, Grandpa…"

Bugenhagen continued to stare at Red XIII, unable to believe that the young hound he was looking at was still the same one. He stared and stared until an eerie silence spread between them, only broken by a sudden faint sound.

Red XIII turned around and looked behind him, just in time to see a drop of crystal clear water fall down onto the rocks. It splashed into many tinier drops, each one so clear they were able to give a perfect reflection of Red XIII's face before they hit the rock again and trickled down the side. Another drop of water fell beside it, and Bugenhagen looked up, his mouth falling open as he gazed.

"That's… Seto's…… Seto……"

"Seto……" Red XIII stammered, his voice shaking. "Fa… Father…" He coiled his muscles and leaped back up onto the next rock, just in time to see another drop of clear water fall from above and splash onto the ground.

On top of the cliff, the petrified form of Seto stood firmly as it overlooked the canyon. Although he was seemingly silent, Red XIII and Bugenhagen watched together as a small stop of water appeared at the edge of Seto's stone eye, and began to roll down the side of his face. It dripped off the end of his face and tumbled towards the ground – another tear of sadness and joy.

Seeing those tears fall from his father's face, Red XIII could bear it no longer. He threw back his head and howled loud into the night, the sound of his voice echoing inside the canyon just as his father's tears fell onto the ground. Father and son… united at last… yet never to touch again.

* * *

By the time midnight came, Cloud and the others were still waiting around the campfire in the middle of Cosmo Canyon. They had left Red XIII and Bugenhagen alone in the depths of the canyon, knowing it was safe now that all the ghosts were finally laid to rest. 

Slowly, Cloud looked around at the others. "Shall we get goin'?" he asked, breaking the silence.

One by one the others looked up at him. Although they had known all along that Red XIII planned to leave their group at Cosmo Canyon, saying goodbye suddenly made it seem all the more real. It was probably easier to leave without saying goodbye, but it didn't stop them from feeling a little sad at the thought.

"So this is it, Red XIII…" said Aeris sadly.

"That's just the way it goes," said Bugenhagen. "…You came in handy at times…"

So they all headed towards the gate. They said their farewells to the guard who was still guarding the entrance to the canyon, before Aeris and the others all began to walk back down the steps towards the buggy, which was still standing at the bottom of the stairs. Cloud stopped at the top of the stairs and looked back at the canyon. When he was ready he turned away, and began to walk down the stairs.

"Wait for me! I'm coming, too!"

Cloud stopped and turned around, his eyes opening wide as he saw Red XIII leaping down the stairs of the canyon. He came to a stop beside Cloud, his furry red body breathing heavily from his long run from the dark depths.

"Mmm?" Cloud asked, confused. He looked up as Bugenhagen then began to walk down the steps towards him.

"Cloud," the old man said. "Please look after Nanaki."

Cloud stared, looking from Bugenhagen to Red XIII and back to Bugenhagen again. "What happened?" he asked.

"I think I grew up a little," Red XIII replied simply. "That's what happened!"

Before Cloud could say anything more, Red XII ran briskly past him and down the stairs towards the car. As the others all exclaimed and cheered at Red XIII's cheery return to the group, Cloud looked back at Bugenhagen. The old man was smiling happily, with a knowing look that made Cloud feel that this would not be the last time they visited Cosmo Canyon.

* * *

End of Part Five

Part Six: The Man With No Past


	7. Part 06: Chapter 07

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Part Six: The Man with No Past**

**Chapter Seven**

Unable to stay in Cosmo Canyon because of the lack of room, Cloud and the others had had no choice but to camp out in the buggy for the rest of the night. They had driven to the end of the cliffs before parking in the safe shadow of one of the smaller cliffs, and set up camp for the night.

It had been a very peaceful night, sleeping out underneath the stars. The air had been nice and cool, but not cold, and the sky remained clear all night through. Some of them had curled up inside the buggy, while others, such as Yuffie and Red XIII, had chosen to rough it out on the rock and patchy grass.

The only member of the group who could not enjoy the peaceful night was Cloud. He lay in the back of the buggy, his arms resting beneath his head and his legs propped up on the side of the buggy, eyes open as he looked up at the stars shining above him. Only it wasn't the cool breeze or the faint growl of Barret's snoring that kept him awake.

He was still awake because of the many thoughts that were roaming around in his head. Thoughts that had been running through his mind ever since they left the boundaries of Cosmo Canyon and entered the plains again, heading further north towards the distant mountains.

Cloud recognised those mountains. Their image was burned into his memory as an everlasting picture that would never fade. The jagged grey structures of the large mountain range that stood in the centre of the entire continent – it had taken them only a day or two to reach them. They grey structures of Mt. Nibel, which meant that they were very close to his hometown of Nibelheim.

Cloud wasn't sure he wanted to see Nibelheim again. He didn't know if he could bear it – to see the ruined wreckage of what had once been his home. He wondered if it would be like Gongaga or North Corel, left to disrepair and abandoned by the rest of the world. Cloud had no idea how many people had survived the flames – would there be anyone he knew still alive?

Thinking about it made his skin prickle, moving down his spine and making him shiver momentarily. In frustration he sat upright, bringing his legs down so that he could stand up in the middle of the buggy, and peered out into the night.

The plains were dark, but he could see the faint shimmer of water coming from a river in the distance, brought to light by the moon hanging in the sky. Cloud looked up at it for a moment or two, watching the giant white orb as it looked back down at a planet crying in need and desperation. No matter how hard Cloud listened he could no longer hear the cries of the Planet – maybe they could only be heard in Cosmo Canyon, in Bugenhagen's laboratory?

Thinking that made Cloud sigh with relief. He didn't want to hear those awful cries again, so pained and hurt. Was the planet really crying? Crying the way a human being could cry? And what of the Lifestream?

Remembering the Lifestream, Cloud turned his head away from the river and looked down towards his large sword, which lay silently in the corner of the buggy. In particular he looked at the red, green and blue balls of materia that were slotted silently in the side of the blade. Made of compressed Mako energy, which came from the planet. They were the product of the Lifestream.

Cloud knelt down beside the sword and pulled out the red ball of Ramuh. Although he could see nothing through the darkness, he could feel the power inside it. Power that came from the planet. It made Cloud feel a little guilty to be using the planet's power like this, but he knew it was a power they could not afford to give up. Not if they wanted to defeat Sephiroth and Shinra.

So he hoped that for a while… just a little while… the planet would allow them to use its power.

**Nibelheim**

The group were already up and moving again by the time the yellow ball of the sun rose the next morning, peering out between the tall rocky canyons onto the grassy plain where the buggy was riding. It was going to be another bright and sunny day for sure, which was good news for them if they wanted to make good progress. They had passed the slow-flowing river with ease and were now travelling at a fast pace towards the town that stood at the silent entrance of Mt. Nibel.

Nibelheim.

Cloud and Tifa were standing up in the back of the buggy right then, peering out over the top of the roof as Aeris drove on. They ignored the sound of Barret yelling angrily at Yuffie as she sat on the bonnet, and then Aeris yelling at him for making the buggy tilt with his angry cries. Their minds were focused solely on the town they were approaching, their hearts beating in anxiety at what they would see.

They expected to see the black remains of a ruined town, but as the buggy drew closer to the large break between the tall mountains of Nibel they realised that something wasn't right. At first they couldn't quite place what it was that was wrong, but as they passed the final slope and onto the straight path that led towards the town, they saw it.

"No way!" Tifa exclaimed, her eyes wide in an expression of pure disbelief.

They had expected to see a wreck of burnt down houses and decaying old vehicles, but instead they got exactly the opposite. There were no burnt down houses left to rot, instead there were many houses, neatly built and positioned exactly as Cloud and Tifa remembered them. Driving up to the entrance they could see the side wall of the inn, staring back at them.

Aeris slowed the buggy to a halt and stepped out. Everyone was now looking out at the town now, staring in disbelief at the complete town that looked back at them silently.

For Cloud, this was absolutely impossible. He had prepared himself to see a ruined, burnt out wreck abandoned from the world. Yet somehow, by some strange miracle or disaster, the town was standing there just as it always did. There was just no way that Nibelheim could be standing there. No way.

Suddenly and without warning, Cloud jumped down from the buggy and onto the grass. Tifa was just milliseconds behind him, and followed as he ran swiftly across the grass towards Nibelheim. They ran on regardless of the fact that the others were calling out to wait for them, and focused only on reaching Nibelheim.

Eventually their feet stopped pounding on frail stalks of grass and moved onto the more solid ground of the town, kicking up dust in their wake. It took them a few seconds to slow down, skidding to a stop beside the old inn. Even as they stopped their heads and eyes were already darting around, looking around in disbelief.

The resemblance was uncanny. Everywhere they looked, everything seemed to be exactly as it was before it had burned down. In fact it looked like it had never been touched. Everything was as it was, from the well in the centre of town to the small wooden bridge leading towards one of the houses near the entrance of town. The streets were just as quiet and dusty, and it still looked like a deserted ghost town. Only this time it was more of a ghost town, for it shouldn't have been standing.

"What--!" Tifa exclaimed, her voice almost choking in her disbelief as she looked around. Looking past the well she choked again as she saw the familiar sight of her house – or what had once been her house a long time ago. "This was all supposed to be burnt down, right?"

Cloud nodded slowly. He was also looking past the well, but on the opposite side, where the structure of what had been his childhood home stood silently alongside Tifa's, exactly as it had once done. "…I thought so."

"Then why…? My house is still there too…"

The others finally caught up to them then, leaving the buggy abandoned just outside the entrance of town. There was no point bringing it in – the only way forward was through the mountains and they would not support the buggy.

They were also surprised to find the town intact, but not as surprised as Cloud and Tifa were. Throughout all the time they had been travelling, they had held the belief that Sephiroth had burnt down Nibelheim, and it was nothing more than a ruin. Yet here it was, like it had never been touched.

Seeing it all, Barret immediately snapped his head round to Cloud and pointed at him fiercely. "You said the whole town burnt down, right?" he asked. There was a strong sense of accusation in his voice that he was unable to hide.

"…Yeah," Cloud replied.

"Cloud," said Cait. "Did you make up your story just to get our support?"

There was little accusation in his voice, but the question was there, out in the open. Even as Cloud looked at Red XIII he saw the same expression on his furry red face, and the faint sense of accusation in his eyes. Aeris had turned her head away to avoid being examined, although he was sure the same thought had crossed even her mind.

"I'm not lying!" Cloud replied just as fiercely, although he wasn't sure just how confident his answer was. He shook his head, recalling the memories of the fire. Thinking about it raised his spirits, for the images were clearly burned in his mind, and he became more confident. "I remember… the intense heat of the flames…"

He looked up at the others. They were all glancing briefly at one another, unsure of what to think. Finally Aeris walked forward and stood beside Cloud and Tifa, her mind made up. Cait, Barret and Red XIII finally nodded as well, but Cloud could still see faint traces of doubt in their eyes. They still weren't quite sure.

The first place they headed to was the inn, since it was the closest building to them. Cloud walked in first, followed by Tifa and then the others. It was exactly the same on the inside as well, once again making Cloud wonder. He quickly dismissed those thoughts and walked towards the younger innkeeper standing patiently behind the desk, looking at them earnestly as they approached.

"Hi, welcome," he said cheerfully. It was an almost fake tone of cheerfulness, the smile on his face almost there mechanically.

Cloud glanced at Tifa, who nodded. Cloud nodded back, and then turned to the innkeeper. "What's your story?" he asked, a faint touch of hostility in his voice. "This town was supposed to have been burnt down five years ago. What the hell is going on?"

The smile on the innkeeper's face instantly disappeared, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. He turned away for a brief moment, as though composing himself. Then he turned back, the twitch gone, and his expression turning to something of a mechanical annoyance.

"Sir, don't say such awful things. I was born and raised in this town. What you say never happened."

Cloud and Tifa glanced at one another again. They remembered the old innkeeper who used to run the inn, sitting behind the desk and doing his crosswords day after day. There was no way this… innkeeper… had been born and raised in the town like they had been.

While this was going on, Barret was standing towards the left of the group, his arms folded and his foot tapping against the ground irritably. While he was listening to the conversation he heard a small banging noise coming from ahead of him, and he looked up towards the wooden door leading to a side room behind the innkeeper.

"You're lying…" Tifa said plainly to the innkeeper, her gaze stern. It annoyed her that someone would actually pose as a resident of Nibelheim, especially when she knew that he wasn't.

Making sure the innkeeper wasn't looking, Barret silently shuffled over towards the door. It was ajar slightly, and he carefully pushed it open a crack, peering through the gap and into the storeroom that was hidden there. His eyes widened a little as he saw what was inside, but he continued to look.

"EXCUSE ME……" the innkeeper replied, the unreal tone of his voice now even more apparent than before. "That's so rude. If you're going to talk like that to me, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

With that the innkeeper crossed his arms and turned away stubbornly, refusing to even look at them anymore. Cloud glared at the ignorant young man angrily and was about to say more, when Barret suddenly gave a whistle and caught everyone's attention bar the ignorant innkeeper. When Cloud looked over Barret nodded his head to the storeroom, pushing the door open wider. Cloud walked over to him and peered inside, and his eyes opened wide as well.

Inside the storeroom was a man – they presumed it was a man – standing beside a pile of crates at the far end of the storeroom. They could not see any of his features because he was wearing a long black cloak that shielded him, face and all, so he was merely a dark shadow hiding away. He was trembling slightly and murmuring softly under his breath.

Cautiously Cloud walked into the storeroom and stood beside the figure. He was bent over like he was crippled, and Cloud could see that he was clutching onto the ends of his cloak as he shivered, as though trying to keep warm.

Something inside him urged Cloud to examine the man further. While he murmured inaudibly Cloud slowly pulled one sleeve free and pushed it up so that he could see the man's upper arm. On the man's pale arm there was a tattoo, showing a simple number '6' in dark black.

"Man in a Black Cape?" he said aloud. "He has a tattoo number '6'."

He stopped briefly, suddenly feeling sure that he had seen this before. He could not remember at first, until he saw Aeris suddenly stand beside him, a look of sympathy on her face as she gazed at the shivering man. Then he remembered.

It was in Midgar, back when he and Aeris first met. She had taken him to Sector 5, and shown him a man in a similar condition. He had been pale and shaking and not making much sense, and with a tattoo number '2' on his arm. Back then Cloud had thought the man was on drugs, but now he wasn't so sure. He wondered what the significance of the tattoo number was.

"Urrr……rrrrr……" the man mumbled suddenly, his voice louder and twisting in a way that sounded like he was going to be sick. He lifted his head slightly and tried to turn around, twisting his head round to face Cloud. Yet as much as he tried he could not turn, not while Cloud held his arm. "Rrrgh… must… go… to… Re…uni…on…"

His voice then went quiet again, and he went back into his inaudible mumbling. Cloud slowly released his arm and turned back to the others, who had gathered by the door, and staring at the man with chills running down their spines. The man seemed unaware of their presence, as though he was possessed or at least mentally ill.

They left the room, shutting the door quietly behind them and leaving the cloaked man to his muttering. Cloud decided against asking the innkeeper about the mysterious cloaked man – he would most likely deny all knowledge, although something inside him told him the innkeeper DID know something about it.

Leaving the inn, the group headed further into the town. They walked around the well, Tifa gazing up at it as they passed, amazed at the likeness. Even the age of the wood seemed perfect, as it would be after five years. She found herself falling behind then, and she quickened her pace to catch up to the others, who had stopped in front of the two houses that stood side by side at the far end of the town.

Cloud was the first to step up to one of the houses, choosing the one on the left that resembled the house he was brought up in. The door opened with a faint creak and he walked inside, leaving the others outside.

It was almost like stepping inside a memory, or passing through the doorway into another time. The house's interior was also exactly the same – without a single detail being altered in any way. Stepping into the living room he could see the beds with their white sheets, the wooden floor and steps leading into the kitchen.

His breath stopped as he looked over towards the far end of the room. There was a woman standing there, in the same spot as his mother had stood when he entered the house five years ago. For a moment he thought that it was his mother, until she turned and looked at him. She was younger, and her expression was cold and harsh, not like the warm, elderly look of his mother.

"What is it?" the woman asked harshly, glaring at the stranger who had entered her home.

Cloud stared for a few seconds more, before he stopped and shook his head. He knew he wouldn't find his mother in this house. She was dead, along with the rest of the original Nibelheim residents. When he was finished he looked back up at the woman, trying to keep his face stern.

"I want to hear your story," he told her. "I lived in this house until I was 14…" He stopped for a moment before continuing. "No, but this town was burned down."

Like the innkeeper, the woman seemed to hesitate before answering. Cloud then realised that her face was just as mechanical and monotonous – the harsh expression seemed to have been placed there to deceive him. Then she turned a little more natural as she glared at Cloud angrily.

"Are you sick… saying those things?" she asked him, her anger sounding a little more natural than the much younger innkeeper had done. "Get out of here!"

As she finished speaking, a loud, piercing scream rang through the walls of the house, followed by a much deeper voice calling Cloud's name. It was Tifa's voice that screamed, and Barret was calling him. Hurriedly Cloud turned and ran out of the house, heading towards the open door leading into Tifa's childhood home.

Cloud ran to the door and saw the others all gathered inside the house, standing in a half circle around the door. Tifa had turned away, her hand covering her mouth to stifle her screams. He wondered what had happened to make Tifa scream like she did, until a shadow stepped out from behind the door.

It was another man, also completely covered from head to foot in a long black cape. Like the one in the inn he was trembling and muttering softly under his breath, although he could hear what this one was saying.

"…Must…… get…… it… and bring… to… Se…phi…roth…" he mumbled eerily. "Then… become… one… with… Se…phi…roth…"

Cloud's eyes narrowed fiercely as the man mumbled Sephiroth's name. He reached out and grabbed the man roughly by the arm, lifting up the sleeve to look at his arm. Sure enough there was a tattoo emblazoned on his upper arm, just as he knew there would be.

"This guy's number '5'…" Cloud said.

Another shadow soon caught his eye, and as he looked up over Tifa's shoulder he saw that there was yet another of the cloaked men standing in the kitchen. Cloud brushed past Tifa and went to the man, also lifting up the sleeve to examine at his arm. Another tattoo was there in bold, black figures.

"He has a tattoo of the number '11'…" Cloud muttered.

"…Must……" the man mumbled as Cloud lowered the sleeve. "Go… ……Reun…ion…"

Cloud stepped away from him and left him to his mumbling and shaking, glancing back at the others. Three cloaked figures, each one of them barely able to talk, and what they did say was something about Sephiroth or 'Reunion'. What link did they have to Sephiroth? He wished he knew.

At that moment a loud crash came from directly above them, as though something had smashed on the floor. Without a pause Cloud headed for the stairs and darted up them, with Barret and Red XIII close behind him. The room that stood directly above the kitchen was the main bedroom, and the three ran in through the open door.

By then they were not surprised to see the cloaked figure standing there, shuffling aimlessly between the chest of drawers and the bed. On the floor there was a broken vase, knocked off by the cloaked man as he shuffled around. It was as though he didn't even know where he was going.

This time Barret was the one to go to the man and lift up the sleeve, revealing the tattoo that was burned onto his arm.

"Tattoo number '4'," Cloud said, reading the tattoo number aloud.

He shared a glance with Barret, both of them wondering the same things. There was something with Nibelheim right then. Not only did the town exist when it should have just been a pile of ruin, but there were people claiming to have lived in the town all their lives, and strangely cloaked men wandering around that no one seemed to take any notice of. It was a very eerie event, and there was no explanation for it.

"…Where… are… you…?" the man said. "Great… Se…phi…roth…"

Barret released the man, and the three left the main bedroom. These men seemed to be wandering around the whole of Nibelheim – why did no one do anything about them?

The last place left to check in the house was the final bedroom – Tifa's old bedroom. As Cloud, Barret and Red XIII walked in they found that Tifa was already in the bedroom with Aeris, Yuffie and Cait. Tifa was standing by the desk looking down at a piece of paper there, while Aeris and Yuffie sat silently on the bed and Cait stood by the piano.

"What is going on here?" asked Aeris, being the first to break the silence as they all gathered in the bedroom. "Everyone in this town is acting so strange."

"Something isn't right," agreed Yuffie, lying back on the bed with her feet dangling in the air. "This place is so whack – let's move on already!"

Cloud shook his head and leaned against the wall. "Not until we know what's going on," he said. "None of this is right. This town should not be here – these people should not be here."

"I don't think any of the people here are likely to tell us anything," said Red XIII. "It is clear that they all know something – I can smell the anxiety when they are confronted by us."

"Cloud."

Everyone looked up as Tifa turned away from the desk, holding the sheet of paper in her hands. She held it out to Cloud, who took it and read it quickly through once, before he read it again out loud.

_Periodic Report to Professor Hojo_

_1 Clone Activity Report_

_Unfortunately, no 'CLONES' have left this town this quarter._

_As previously reported, the 'CLONES' seem to be sensing something._

_But all they say is, 'reunion' or 'Sephiroth' and show no other signs of activity._

_2 Confidentiality Report_

_A total of eight people have visited this town this quarter. Fortunately, none knew about the incident five years ago. Therefore, no one knows that the town was restored exactly as it was five years ago._

_Our staff, disguised as townspeople have improved their acting skills, and we do not report any problems at this time._

_That is all._

When Cloud finished reading the report, he scrunched it up angrily in his hands and threw it across the room towards the waste paper basket by the window. It hit the wall and fell to the floor, missing the basket and lying in a crumpled heap alongside it. For a moment no one bothered to pick it up, until Cloud walked over to it and threw it into the bin, and then standing by the window to look out at the town.

At least it all made sense now. The incident five years ago would have been a big blow to Shinra's reputation, so they would have had to cover it up somehow. With all the residents killed in the fire, they would have no problem rebuilding the town as it was before, and hire people to act as residents until normal people chose to move into the town and take over naturally.

The only thing that didn't make sense was the cloaked men, or 'clones'. What, or who, were they meant to be clones of, and what was their purpose? He presumed now that the numbers on their arms were their code-signs – showing just how many clones there were. How many were there? Clone number 11 was down in the kitchen, so there were at least 11 clones in Nibelheim. How many more were there and who was controlling them? One thing was for sure – they weren't acting completely of their own will.

He was so busy thinking that he ignored the rest of the conversation going on behind him as the others planned what to do next. The only way forward was through Mt. Nibel, but the paths were so rugged in there that they would never support the buggy. That meant that they had no choice but to abandon the buggy and continue their journey on foot.

"Cloud," said Cait, bounding up behind him and giving him a pat on the shoulder with his megaphone. "We're ready to go."

Cloud turned and nodded. He followed the others out of the room and down the stairs, passing the other clones still wandering around downstairs and stepping out into the quiet Nibelheim streets again.

They moved quickly on – heading further north to reach the exit of the town. Nibelheim was too much of a ghost town now – there was nothing homely or warm about it anymore. They wanted to move on and leave Nibelheim behind, leaving it as another memory.

The Shinra Mansion was the last building in Nibelheim they had to pass. That was the only original building left in Nibelheim, and stood the same as it always did. The rusty gates were still open, and the building itself still looked just as creepy as before.

The group had intended on passing the mansion without a second thought, but they were forced to stop as they saw two more of the cloaked clones standing in the middle of the path, facing the mansion. They seemed more agitated than all the other clones, their voices high pitched and wailing mournfully as they approached.

"Wooooo------ooow……" the first of the clones wailed, his voice twisted and uncontrolled. "He's… calling…… Sephiroth…… is…… calling……"

That caught everyone's attention. The group stopped beside the clone and listened the clone as he subsided again into mindless muttering. Sephiroth was calling? They listened closely to the air, but they could not hear anything but silence and the heavy breathing of the clones.

"The… Great… Se…phi…roth…… is… near……" the other clone then said, his arms wavering shakily in front of him as though he was trying to grab something. "In…side…… inside …the Mansion…… Urrrrrrrgh…… the great…… Sephi……roth."

Cloud and Tifa spared enough time to look at each other for a quick second, before they both suddenly turned and ran towards the open gates of the Mansion. The others were close behind, running through the gates towards the close doors of the Mansion where Sephiroth awaited.

* * *

**EMERALD:** Okay, finally got this chapter up. I don't think this is one of my best chapters – I may rewrite it in the future. I go through phases where I just can't write, which is why it takes me a while to get a chapter up. But it's been two weeks, so I had to update with something. So here you go. 


	8. Part 06: Chapter 08

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Eight**

The old wooden doors of Shinra Mansion burst open, with such force that they flew back and crashed against the inside walls of the mansion. The sound of the crash echoed throughout the main hall, which was exactly the same as it was five years ago apart from an increase in the amount of dust in the air. In the doorway stood Cloud and the others, the light outside silhouetting their bodies so that their shadows fell on the ground, stretched so they reached deep inside the hall.

The hall was still as dark as ever, reminding Cloud of the first time he had stepped foot in the mansion. The curtains on the back windows were still drawn although they were falling apart, their structure disintegrating from the constant sunlight from outside. It wouldn't be long before they fell apart completely, letting the sunlight shine freely onto the oak floorboards.

Another thing that had not changed was the sense of unease – a sure sign that told him that Sephiroth was indeed somewhere within the mansion. The air was cold, as though something powerful and menacing had stepped through it and chilled the very air itself. And that could only be Sephiroth.

Together the group stepped past the doors and into the mansion. The floorboards creaked loudly underneath five pairs of heavy boots and one pair of stuffed mechanical feet, plus the pattering of Red XIII's paws. They echoed, too, joining the fading echo of the door crash. They were making no effort at being silent. They _wanted_ Sephiroth to know that they were here, and they wanted him to prepare himself.

Once they were all inside the mansion, Barret and Cait worked together to close the old doors. They seemed to creak even louder as they slid slowly shut, creating a small faint bang as they connected and shut out the sunlight, leaving the hall in darkness apart from the single beam of light that shone in through the half-covered windows.

With the doors shut Cloud walked forward, walking to the very centre of the hall. He then stopped and looked around at the hall. There was no sign of Sephiroth, but he knew that he was somewhere within the mansion's ghostly walls. They would have no choice but to search the house room by room, and hope that no monsters had taken refuge within it. He was about to walk forward to the old door leading into the back corridor, when Tifa suddenly said his name.

She was standing in the corner of the hall, at an open doorway leading into a tiny side room. Aeris was beside her, and together they were looking at a small piece of paper that had gone yellow with age and was thick with dust. Tifa held out the paper to Cloud, and he looked down at it.

It certainly was a very old sheet of paper. The writing was scribbled very roughly and he could barely read it because of the dust. He blew on it, blowing carefully so as not to damage the paper, for it was very frail indeed. Thankfully it didn't fall apart in his hands, and with more of the dust gone he could read what was on the sheet.

_I must get rid of all those that stand in the way of my research. Even that one from the Turks. I scientifically altered him, and put him to sleep in the basement. If you want to find him, then search the area._

_But… this is merely a game I thought of. It is not necessary for you to participate if you don't want to._

_Move the dial of the safe carefully, but quickly. You have 20 seconds. You cannot go past the numbers while turning. The four hints for the numbers are…_

_Dial 1 – The lid of the box with the most oxygen._

_Dial 2 – Behind the ivory's short of tea and ray._

_Dial 3 – The creak in the floor near the chair on the second floor… then to the left five steps, up nine steps, left two steps and up six steps._

When he had finished reading the contents of the yellowed-out letter, Cloud looked up at Tifa and Aeris and raised an eyebrow blankly. "So…" he said, sounding a little unimpressed by its contents. "What about it? It's just an old letter."

Aeris shook her head fiercely, her green eyes looking at Cloud in earnest. "Didn't you read it properly, Cloud?" she asked him. "There's someone trapped inside this mansion! We have to help them!"

"What yer talkin' 'bout?" Barret snapped angrily, his voice reverberating off the walls and the echo of his pounding feet sounding down the corridors. Not that he cared. "We're goin' after Sephiroth, not playin' a game of hide and seek!"

"I know that," Aeris replied. She turned away for a moment, taking a breath to compose her feelings. After those few moments had passed she turned back and looked around at everyone around her. "I'm sorry. I just can't go on knowing that someone is trapped and needs our help. I know this isn't the time to do this, but…" She looked at Tifa. "Tifa?"

Tifa looked back at her. She seemed as unsure as the others, but when she saw the look on Aeris's face, she realised that she felt the same. "We should help them," she said finally, turning her gaze firmly on Cloud.

One by one, Cloud felt everyone's gazes' turn to him, waiting for a decision. Cloud slowly passed his eyes over each of them, analysing their expressions. Everyone seemed to be in agreement on the idea, nodding slightly as he looked at them. Everyone except Barret, that is, who turned away stubbornly with his arms folded and his foot tapping impatiently on the floor. Even though he wasn't looking he seemed to know the unanimous decision of the others, and growled fiercely.

"Do whatever ya want!" he snapped.

Cloud sighed heavily and shook his head, while Tifa stifled a giggle under her breath. They were both secretly amused by Barret's apparent stubbornness, although they both knew that deep down he was in agreement over their decision. Aeris was right; they couldn't leave someone trapped inside the mansion.

* * *

Half an hour later the group were all gathered on the second floor of the mansion, inside one of the side rooms on the left side of the house. It was just opposite the bedrooms, and it was the only room in the entire house that had a safe inside. At that very moment Cloud was on his knees, preparing to input the four codes into the timed lock that kept the safe shut. 

It had been no easy trick getting the codes. The clues had been very vague and hard to understand, but eventually they solved the riddles and found the numbers. The first clue had been on the ground floor in the side room opposite where they had found the letter, written on the lid of a box beside a large group of plants.

The second clue had been a little more difficult. The closest thing that came to 'ivory' was the old ivory piano on the ground floor. There was also a table in that particular room, along with a window where sunlight shone in, stopping just near the end of the piano. Sure enough, written on the floor behind the piano in rough figures was the next dial number.

The third turned out to be easier than it first appeared. There were not many chairs on the second floor, and finding one with a creak in the floorboard was easy. It took them a few attempts, but following the directions correctly led them to the third dial number, also scrawled on the floor.

At first they thought that was it, until they returned to the safe room and read the letter again. According to the letter there were _four_ numbers needed to break the safe, but the letter only showed three clues. Upon closer inspection they noticed that there was more writing underneath the third clue, but it was very faint and deliberately worn out so that it was nigh on impossible to see.

They all had a go at trying to read the number written there. It was Red XIII who solved it after Tifa snatched the sheet away from Barret, who had threatened to rip it up out of sheer rage and fury. So now they had their four numbers, and Cloud prepared to put them into the safe.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" he said aloud as he touched the safe. There was a strong hidden power resonating within the thick layers of metal that kept it secure. He could feel it as he touched it – a power of rage and strength.

He glanced back at the others. They were all stood behind him in a single line, their weapons and materia ready for anything that emerged from the safe. They could all sense the power raging within the safe as it resonated around the room as well, so they were all prepared for an instant strike if anything hostile were to emerge. They nodded at Cloud, who nodded back and turned to the safe.

In the deadly silence that followed, Cloud began to input the numbers into the safe. According to the letter they had only 20 seconds in which to input the numbers, so he needed perfect silence in order to get the numbers in.

The dial began to turn, the faint clicks echoing very softly in the room. As Cloud hit the first number – Right 36 – a slightly louder click could be heard. Instantly Cloud began to twist the dial the other way towards the second number. Exact precision was needed to crack the safe, and the pressure made his heart beat rapidly in his chest and in his ears, drowning out the sound of the clicks.

"Left 10…" Click. "Right 59…" Click. There were only a few seconds left on the timer, and Cloud could feel the rage contained within the safe growing as he began to turn the dial towards the last number – the one that would unlock the safe. "Right 97…"

A loud click filled the room as the safe unlocked. Cloud stood up, grabbing the door of the safe and pulling it open, exposing the inside of the safe.

As the safe door opened a loud screeching roar filled the room, followed by a cloud of steam that surrounded the safe and seeped across the floor like a liquid, curling like tendrils across the wood. The rest of the group stood waiting as the steam continued to thicken, waiting for the creature to emerge.

Slowly and steadily, the monster began to emerge from the safe. Its body made a sickened squishing and bone-crunching sound as it squeezed out of the safe. It stamped one thick blue and green foot onto the floor, followed by a squishy red and yellow tentacle that moved of its own will across the floor like antennae searching for food. It then stepped out of the steam and into full view of the group awaiting it.

It was a very misshapen creature, probably forged from a combination of different levels of mako energy. Its body was composed of two parts, split completely in half and joined together by squishy flesh.

The left-hand side of its body was entirely physical, with a firm body made up of a large rock-shaped head and a fierce yellow eye. Its leg and its arm were incredibly muscular and firm, covered in the same tough blue skin and tipped with sharp claws that made it an arsenal of physical destruction.

The right-hand side of the creature was entirely the opposite. Its firm flesh was replaced by soft, almost fiery looking skin, for it was burned a bright red. Many long tentacles like heavy eyebrows shielded most of its face, sweeping to the side like flames. Tentacles made up its arm and leg, each of them wavering around in search of prey, making it a weapon of magical force. Yet despite all these differences the creatures menacing grin was one long smile, tipped with razor-sharp teeth.

"NOW!" Cloud shouted from beside the safe.

On his command, Barret and all the others released the power of their materia in one powerful strike towards the creature. Large blasts of fire and ice stormed through the air and struck the blue half of the creature right in its face. It convulsed and screeched loudly, the magical energies burning through its weak magical defence. It cried out more as two blasts of dark energy merged around it, shrinking its body and then expanding it.

That was enough. As the flames and ice swept around it the creature shuddered, and the blue half exploded with a sudden poof of steam that filled the air. That left only the red half, the magical half, behind.

"Quickly! Before it reforms!" came Cloud's voice from behind as he saw the faint tinges of more red flesh begin to emerge from the creature's side.

The body was already half grown as the second attack came. The new red flesh that made up the rest of the magical half's body was blown to shreds as bullets poured in from ahead, piercing through the newly formed flesh with ease. As the bullets stopped then came the second part of the attack as Yuffie, Tifa and Cait ran forward together. Yuffie sliced with her shuriken while Cait used his megaphone to pound through the wounded flesh, making the impact of Yuffie's slashes much more devastating. Tifa worked alongside him, her punches forcing the wounds to grow.

They stepped back the moment the creature began to shudder. The magical creature's body twisted and convulsed, its tentacles out of control as they whipped around the room. A deep red glow began to burn in the centre of the creature, growing and growing until it enveloped the entire creature. Then, with a loud pop, the creature burst into flames and disintegrated in seconds, the steam from its body rising and dispersing into the air.

With the creature gone, the steam quickly began to clear. The sound died away too, leaving the room in silence again. No one moved until the steam had fully cleared, leaving only the open door of the safe behind it. The creature had been easy to defeat, but only because it had been locked away in the safe for so long. It had weakened after so many years, making it a cinch to defeat.

Cloud moved round from the side of the safe and peered into the dark doorway. At first he thought it was empty, until he caught a glimpse of two objects hidden within the darkness. One was a key; the other was a ball of red summon materia. The materia of Odin, he soon realised, for hidden in its crystalline form was the faint image of a powerful lance that only the legendary Odin could bear.

"We've got it," he said to the others, picking up both the materia and the key he assumed to be the key to the basement. Shutting the safe door again he turned to Tifa and Aeris, both of whom looked very relieved. "Let's go."

With the key in hand they left the safe room, now prepared to head down to the basement to rescue the person that was seemingly trapped inside the mansion. It was a lucky thing that they had to head into the dark basement, for that would be the most likely place where they would find Sephiroth, too.

Cloud led the way through the mansion now, remembering the secret shaft in one of the second floor rooms that led straight down into the basement, which he discovered when looking for Sephiroth the first time.

Sure enough it was still there – the stone shaft with its stonework that didn't quite match, slightly ajar as though someone had passed through and not shut it properly. It had to be Sephiroth, for there should have been no one else inside the mansion. He pulled the hidden door open with ease and peered down into the spiral staircase.

It still made him feel a bit dizzy, looking down at the dark spirals heading deeper into shadows. He could still see the bottom, and a very faint glow of light there. With the others close behind him he stepped into the shaft and began to lead the way down, one hand against the walls to steady himself.

It was so silent in the shaft he could hear everyone's breath as they breathed nervously inside the shaft. There was a cold chill in the air and the faint scent of something living – and that made them nervous. It was a fairly foul scent, not nauseating, but enough to make them hold their noses in disgust as they continued to descend towards the bottom of the shaft.

They found out what the smell came from once they reached the bottom of the staircase, and looked down at the floor. The smell came from various droplets of droppings that lined the floor here and there – something Cloud didn't remember. As they looked up they saw the owners of the droppings: hanging from the walls and the ceiling by their claws, with their leathery wings wrapped firmly around their bodies. A few of the bats looked at Cloud and the others, a peculiar clicking noise coming from their mouths as they tried to see what they were.

"Bats," said Red XIII, his keen eyes able to see the small, furry forms of the bats more clearly. "This place has become a nesting ground for bats."

"Let's move on," said Cloud, who was looking further down the tunnel. "Sephiroth is here somewhere. I can feel him."

With that he headed down the tunnel, carefully dodging the various piles of bat droppings. The door to the hidden laboratory was very visible now, and a bright light was glowing through the edges of the door.

He was about to walk straight up to that door and barge in, but before he could he suddenly stopped, feeling his fist clench around the hard thin form of metal he was holding in his hands. It was the basement key, and it surely wasn't for the laboratory. He suddenly remembered and looked to his left, towards the other door that he had only so briefly looked at five years ago.

Back then it had still been locked, and it still was. The padlock that kept the door firmly shut was old but still strong, although it looked like the key would fit. He took one glance at the laboratory door and then at Tifa and Aeris, before finally going to the other door and sliding the key into the lock. Sephiroth probably wasn't going anywhere right then.

The door unlocked with ease, and opened a little as Cloud pulled the padlock free. He pushed it open and it creaked eerily, the sound of the creek echoing down the corridor. It made Cloud and all the others freeze, glancing back towards the laboratory to see if they had disturbed whoever it was inside, if it was indeed Sephiroth. Luckily there was no shift in the light, so they turned back to the door and headed inside.

Once they were all in the room Cait Sith shut the door behind them, leaving it only slightly ajar so they could hear if someone emerged from the laboratory outside. Then they looked around.

As they looked around the room they immediately thought the letter must have been some kind of horrible joke. There was no one in the small square room, but there were an awful lot of coffins. All of them were open, lying here and there, each one untouched with their lids lying abandoned beside them.

There was only one coffin that was closed. It was not the grandest of coffins and was not properly sealed down like a used coffin should have been, but it was the only one that stood out. In the silence that followed they also realised that there were faint noises coming from inside that coffin.

Everyone immediately froze, their muscles tightening in fear, as the noises grew louder for a second, before subsiding back into faint mumbling again. It reminded Cloud of the clones outside, until he realised that these mumbles did not come from mindless ramblings, but rather the mumblings of someone in discomfort.

It was Aeris who plucked up the courage to move first. While the others stood frozen around her she moved forward and stood at the edge of the coffin, looking down at the nameless lid that kept it down. She pressed her head against the side of the coffin and listened to the faint mumbles inside. They were definitely human and in clear discomfort. Carefully she knocked on the side of the coffin and the mumbles stopped, and she was unaware of the person… or creature… that was slowly opening its eyes inside. She knocked again, and a voice spoke out from inside the coffin.

"…To wake me from the nightmare," came the voice, deep and somewhat monotonous, lacking emotion. The lid of the coffin began to shift slightly, the dust sliding off. "Who is it?"

As the voice spoke angrily the lid of the coffin suddenly shook violently, causing Yuffie to scream and grasp onto Cait's mechanical Mog body for comfort. The coffin continued to shake, the golden clasps that kept the lid down bursting open until the lid was free. It flew off instantly, held by some powerful magical force that lifted it away from the coffin until it rested calmly on the floor. Everyone looked at the open coffin, adrenaline rushing through them as they looked at the figure lying inside.

Slowly the figure began to sit up. He rose steadily from the waist up, his arms not moving, his head craned back in sleep. Once he was upright he began to lift his head and gazed upon the group standing fearfully in front of him, his dark eyes looking at them wearily.

He was certainly a very enigmatic-looking man. He looked to be in his late twenties, although the expression on his face made them think he was somewhat older. His skin was very pale as though it had not seen sunlight for a long period of time, although there were still a few faint traces of colour left. He also had a head of long black hair that was tied back, although he let a few long strips of fringe hang around his face. These were kept up by a red bandana tied around his head.

He was dressed in a black tunic-of-sorts, which was mostly covered up by a long red cape that flowed around his shoulders and down his back. The cape had a large collar that shielded the lower half of his face, such as his mouth and chin. On his feet were a pair of knee-high boots over black trousers.

What was most peculiar about the red-clad man was his left arm. While his right arm was normal and human looking, his left arm was most certainly not. It was as though he had been given a different arm made of golden-brown metal or very firm flesh – they couldn't tell which. It had many joints, especially at the fingers. Instead of normal fingers, this arm had longer, much more pointy fingers, as though they were claws made for attacking.

The others all stared in awe and in fear at the man who had so mysteriously moved the coffin lid and sat up to gaze at them. He was a man locked in the bottom of a deep, dark basement, sleeping in an unmarked coffin away from the sunlight…

They sincerely hoped that vampires were just legend.

* * *

**Emerald:** Yay! New character. More personalities to figure out. I apologise for parts of Vincent's description – I don't actually know what colour his eyes are, or if the arm is an actual monster arm or not. If someone could fill me in it will save me making any mistakes and being flamed by some people, since there are many Vincent fans out there. 

**Additional:** Thanks for pointing out the errors. I have corrected them. This chapter was written at 6 o'clock in the morning so it was no wonder I made the odd error.


	9. Part 06: Chapter 09

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Nine**

The mysterious man sat in the coffin made no attempt to step out of the coffin once he had sat up. Instead he chose to turn his gaze slowly from one person to another while his arms hung loosely by his sides. It was as though he had no life in the rest of his body, waking up just enough to sit and move his head. Upon closer inspection it turned out his eyes were not dark but a very deep red: something that was very alluring and mystifying, and held their gazes as he looked at them.

"…Never seen you before," he said to them. His voice was soft and very quiet, and almost unemotional. His lips, a soft red against his pale skin, barely moved as he spoke, as though he was still lost in a dream. "You must leave."

"You were having a nightmare," Cloud pointed out. He saw the man's head slowly turn and his gaze fell upon him, slowly looking him up and down. Cloud gazed back at him, doing the same. He seemed to be rather frail, but somehow he figured the man was much stronger then he appeared to be.

"How bad was your dream?" asked Tifa.

The man then turned his gaze on Tifa and looked her over. It was clear in his eyes that he was still in the process of waking up, and a little disorientated. Yet they also got the distinct impression that he was not the talkative type, and that he did not really want them there. "Hmph… a nightmare…?" he said, his voice becoming low and quiet as he sighed sleepily under his breath. "My long sleep has given me time to atone."

"What are you saying?" said Cloud, confused as to what the man meant by 'long sleep'. What kind of long sleep? Was he really…?

The man in the coffin sighed once again, although this time it seemed to be a little more annoyed rather than sleepy. "I have nothing to say to strangers," he replied, still keeping his level, unemotional tone as he spoke. "Get out. This mansion is the beginning of your nightmare."

Cloud also sighed, and lowered his head so that he was looking at the dirty, dust-covered floor of the coffin chamber. "…You can say that again," he mumbled faintly, although in the silence of the room it was still loud enough for the man to hear.

"Hmm? What do you know?"

Cloud looked up again and gazed at the man. He had his head tilted to the side so that his longer strips of fringe hung loosely across his pale face, staring at him through his deep red eyes. He almost looked a little interested in hearing what Cloud knew about the mansion.

"Like you said, this mansion is the beginning of a nightmare." Cloud stopped suddenly and lightly shook his head, disagreeing with his own statement. "No, it's not a dream, it's for real. Sephiroth has lost his mind. He found the secrets hidden in this mansion."

"Sephiroth?" the man snapped fiercely, making everyone in the room jump.

It was the first sign of emotion the man had shown since he sat up. His dark red eyes seemed to light up and flare against his skin, while his lip curled into an expression of sudden anger as he glared out at Cloud. It even brought a little colour to his cheeks and some life to his hands, as out of sight of the others his fists clenched tightly and trembled slightly, trying hard to conceal the emotion.

"You know Sephiroth?"

Cloud and the man had asked the question at the exact same time. They stared intently at one another, each of them waiting for the other to speak and explain what they knew. Yet neither of them said anything, and continued to wait.

Suddenly the man stood up and flipped out of the coffin, so suddenly in fact that it made the others jump in their anxiety, so tense that anything would make them jump. They watched as the man flipped up, almost seeming to move in slow motion before finally landing daintily on the edge of the coffin, his boots balanced perfectly on the thin wooden wall that kept it confined. Once he had landed and was steady, he pointed at Cloud sternly.

"You start first," he said.

He made it sound almost like an order. Cloud took a deep breath and then began to explain in brief detail everything that he knew about Sephiroth. He kept it as brief as he possibly could, which was difficult since there was a lot to get through.

He began five years ago, when he and Sephiroth first arrived in Nibelheim. This was the part that interested the man the most – hearing about everything that had happened while he slept within the walls of the mansion, unaware of everything.

Cloud then moved onto the more recent events – beginning from the moment Sephiroth appeared inside Shinra Headquarters and murdered the former Shinra President. He explained their pursuit of Sephiroth across the Midgar and Choco Plains, the slaughter of the Midgar Zolom, and how he appeared on the Junon ship.

All the while he explained, the mysterious caped man stood firmly on the edge of his coffin and listened intently to Cloud's story. His expression changed a number of times during the telling of the story, beginning with interest and then anger, before slowly turning into a sad and almost subdued look, as though a whole load of pain was hurled at him all at once.

"…That's how it was," Cloud said when he had finally finished his story. He took a deep breath, relieved that it was over. He was beginning to feel like a recorder stuck on repeat, telling the same story over and over again.

He looked up at the man, who had lowered his head to look at the floor. He had his arms folded now, deeply lost in many thoughts that were running through his head. The unemotional look had returned to his face now as he thought over what Cloud had said, making it impossible for them to see what he was thinking.

"So Sephiroth knows he was created five years ago?" he said finally, still refusing to look at the group and continuing to look at the floor. "And about the Jenova Project? …He was missing, but has just recently reappeared? He is taking many lives and is seeking the Promised Land."

Cloud nodded. He had just about got the gist of the situation. He then remembered that the man also had a story to tell. "Now it's your turn," he said, just as sternly.

He expected the caped man to comply and begin telling them his story, but to his surprise the man looked up at him through empty red eyes and slowly shook his head. "Sorry…" he said, shaking his head. "I cannot speak."

"Hmm… I'm disappointed," said Tifa. Around her the others all nodded in agreement. They had been rather looking forward to hearing the story of this strange man.

Ignoring the groans of disappointment from the others, the caped man jumped smoothly into the air, flipping back so that his feet landed on the red velvet bedding of the coffin.

"Hearing your stories, has added upon me yet another sin," he said. He suddenly sounded very sad and remorseful, and could not hold their gazes any longer. "More nightmares shall come to me now, more than I previously had." He carefully sat back down in the coffin, his body fitting perfectly into the grooves that had formed naturally over time. He looked up and gave them one final look, before looking back down into the coffin. "Now… please leave."

Those were his last words, and as he lay back down inside the coffin, the lid rose up from the floor and lowered itself perfectly over the coffin. As the wooden lid slid back into place the metal latches locked themselves together, sealing the coffin once more. There were no sounds inside the coffin, either.

Silence descended upon the room again, and Cloud turned to look around at the others. They were all very confused by the man's sudden response and desire for them to leave without an explanation. What was his connection to Sephiroth, and why did their stories of him make him feel guilty? They were still curious to know what it was, and they didn't come all the way down into the basement just for him to shoo them away.

Turning back, Cloud nodded to Aeris. The young woman nodded back, and with the end of her staff she gave the coffin a harder and much louder knock. At first nothing happened, but as Aeris was about to give it another gentle bash the clasps unlocked themselves and the lid flew off once again. The man sat up again, sighing heavily as he saw the group still standing in front of the coffin.

"…You're still here?" he asked.

Cloud nodded. "Who are you?" he asked, feeling they had at least spoken enough to know one another's names. "At least tell us your name."

The dark-haired man hesitated for a quick second. He seemed rather reluctant to tell them anything about him – even something as simple but yet so personal as his name. He finally made up his mind and looked up at them, glancing from one person to another, and said, "I was with… the Shinra Manufacturing Department in Administrative Research --- the Turks… Vincent."

"The Turks?" Cloud exclaimed, unable to hide the surprise from his voice. His eyes opened wide, and he could sense the others all taking a step back and putting their hands close to their weapons, perhaps unnecessarily. If this man was a member of the Turks then he was definitely far stronger than he appeared on first glance.

This was the first time Cloud had heard the true title of the Turks for a long, long time. They department had once only helped in research, often working alongside the Science Department in gathering specimens and guarding them. Of course that all changed a number of years ago, turning the Turks into what they were now – ruthless people who would go to any length to achieve their goal – ignoring all that got in their way.

"Formerly of the Turks," the man known as Vincent said. There was a faint sense of hostility in his voice as he stressed the word 'formerly', as though it was something he wanted to make clear. "I have no affiliation with Shinra now. …And you?"

"Cloud, formerly of SOLDIER."

Vincent raised an eyebrow in intrigue. "You were also with Shinra…?" he asked. He seemed to hesitate again for a moment before asking, "Then do you know Lucrecia?" There was a faint touch of hope in his voice and in his eyes as he waited for Cloud's answer.

"Who?" Cloud asked.

The hope in Vincent's eyes died, but he repeated the name anyway. "……Lucrecia." He watched as Cloud thought hard for a moment, but he was not surprised when Cloud regretfully shook his head, unable to recall the name at all. "The woman who gave birth to Sephiroth."

Hearing that made Cloud very confused. If this… Lucrecia… had given birth to Sephiroth, then technically she would be his mother. Yet all the reports written about the Jenova Project declared that Jenova was Sephiroth's mother, and Sephiroth believed that without question.

Cloud blinked at Vincent, the confusion clear on his face. "…Gave birth…?" he said. "Wasn't Jenova Sephiroth's mother?"

"That isn't completely wrong, but just a theory," Vincent replied. "He was born from a beautiful lady. That lady was Lucrecia. She was an assistant to Professor Gast of the Jenova Project. Beautiful… Lucrecia."

"…A human experiment?" said Cloud, staring. He was learning more and more about Sephiroth from Vincent's words. This Lucrecia was his biological mother, and in another way… so was Jenova. It was true that scientists were willing to go to almost any lengths in order to achieve what they wanted.

It was also the second time in his life he had heard Professor Gast's name being mentioned. Sephiroth had mentioned it, too, when he had been pacing in the mansion after reading all those reports about the Jenova Project. Cloud remembered from Sephiroth's words that Professor Gast had been in charge of the Jenova Project – the one in charge of creating Sephiroth in the first place. If Lucrecia had been his assistant, then that could mean only one thing:

"…A human experiment?" Cloud said, feeling a little disgusted.

"There was no way to cancel the experiment," Vincent continued. The sad and mournful look had returned to his deep red eyes as he thought back, images of beautiful Lucrecia flashing across his memory. "I couldn't stop her. That was my sin. I let the one I loved, the one I respected the most, face the worst."

"So the punishment was sleep?" said Tifa, piecing together the rest of the story. Vincent nodded his head in reply, and Tifa scratched the back of her head in bewilderment. "That's weird." She had heard of many different punishments in her time, but this was the first time she'd heard of sleep as a punishment.

Before she could say anything else, the man called Vincent slowly let his body sink back into the velvet-cushioned coffin, and the lid floated back into place. For a moment there was silence, until a faint, saddened voice murmured from inside the coffin, "Let me sleep…" before returning to silence once again.

One by one Cloud and the others quietly turned around and left the chamber and its gathering of empty coffins. It was clear that Vincent was not about to say any more to them, so they felt that this was the right time to leave him alone and continue his ever-lasting slumber. They even shut the door behind them, closing it so that the chamber was once again shut off from the rest of the world, the old key still resting in the rusty old lock.

Hearing Vincent's story left them feeling a little subdued as they headed back towards the spiral staircase. It was yet another reminder of all the pain and suffering that Shinra had caused – all in the name of money and power. Power over those less fortunate, or weak-minded. Shinra was a plague that had spread across the Planet, affecting everyone and everything in its path without a single care.

"Wait!"

Cloud and his group all stopped and turned around. As they turned the door of the coffin chamber was suddenly pulled open, and Vincent came running out of the door. He looked around for a moment before he spotted them and ran over to them, a strangely determined look on his face. His cape flowed slowly and almost mysteriously behind him. Cloud also took note of a second belt that was tied around his waist, holding a slender black gun.

"If I go with you, will I meet Hojo?" Vincent asked suddenly, before anyone could speak and interrupt him.

Cloud shrugged his shoulders, surprised at the suddenness of the question. "Dunno," he admitted. "But we're after him and Sephiroth. So, I guess sooner or later……" He left the sentence hanging.

Vincent let his eyes turn away, thinking Cloud's words over. As his suppressed memories rose he quickly turned away, picturing in his mind the beautiful face that was Lucrecia. "Lucrecia…" he whispered under his breath.

When he had finished his moment of remembrance, and had pushed the memories back down to where they could not be seen, he turned back to the others. His mind was made up, so he took a breath and said, "All right, I've decided to go with you."

The suddenness of the statement caught everyone by surprise. The surprise was clear on their faces, their eyes open wide as they stared at him. All except Cloud, that is, whose expression was blank as he gazed at Vincent. "What? You're coming with us?" Tifa asked him.

Vincent nodded at her, his determination resolute. "Being a former Turks, I may be of help to you…" he said.

While all this was going on, Cloud was staring at Vincent. He was trying to figure out what was going on in the man's head, but his eyes weren't giving anything away. They were almost blank, despite their calming red colour, and Cloud could not tell anything about him, unlike the others. The eyes of the others were filled with anger, fear, and sometimes a little uncertainty. Vincent's eyes were neither angry nor scared, but there was just a tiny bit of hidden sadness that could only be seen through careful examination. Yet as Vincent raised his gaze and met Cloud's eyes, he saw a strong pang of sudden determination, and Cloud smiled.

"All right, then," he said, with a slight nod. Vincent nodded back at him in gratitude, one hand resting quietly over the handle of his gun.

Even with the arrival of a new member to the group, there were no joyful or overly dramatic welcomes. Perhaps it was because Vincent was not the type of person to neither accept nor enjoy such welcomes, or maybe it was simply because the atmosphere and the aura of the deeper depths of the mansion repressed all those kinds of reactions.

So instead, after a brief but meaningful welcome (of which the most excited was Cait, glad that he was no longer the newest), the group of what was now eight finally began to head back towards the spiral staircase, relieved that all their efforts to find Vincent had at least paid off.

Cloud was at the back of the group as they headed back slowly down the tunnel, avoiding the areas where the bats had been. He didn't mind a new member joining their journey. After all, Vincent also had a strong reason to fight Sephiroth, and he had no reason to lie to them.

Remembering Sephiroth made Cloud stop with a sudden jolt, although the others didn't notice this and carried on towards the stairs. Cloud almost slapped himself across the face – how could he have forgotten that so easily?

He turned around slowly and looked back towards the door of the underground laboratory. His heart was beating loudly as he looked, although he didn't know why he was afraid to look. Was he afraid that the door would be dark and locked, and that they had missed their chance to fight Sephiroth? Or was he more afraid to see the light still there, and that Sephiroth could still be inside waiting for them?

So as he turned his faintly glowing blue eyes, he prepared himself for what he would see. Even so, the sense of fear and relief that licked its way down his spine as he saw the door still ajar with the thin line of light shining through made him jolt again. So Sephiroth could still be inside.

With his heart still beating loudly inside his chest, Cloud took a step forward towards the door. He didn't call out to the others, who were now heading up the stairs, leaving him alone in the tunnel.

Careful step by careful step, Cloud walked slowly towards the partly open door. His eyes stared solidly at the door, his gaze focused completely for any signs of movement beyond the door, even if it was just a flickering of the light.

He paused outside the door, hesitant to step inside. He knew he should call the others, but by now they would be at the top of the stairs and out of his calling range. So he was alone outside the laboratory, unaware that his hand was automatically moving towards the handle like a puppet being pulled by string.

The door opened with a light creak, and more light swept out and into the tunnel. Before his eyes had time to adjust Cloud found himself walking into the laboratory, leaving the door open behind him. Despite his anxiety his hand didn't move towards his sword or any of his materia, instead choosing to hang awkwardly by his waist, almost like a lost part.

Looking around, Cloud saw that the laboratory hadn't changed much in the past five years. The piles of books that were gathered around the bookcases were still there, untouched – with even more dust gathering on the leather covers and thin paper pages. The desk was exactly as it had been left, along with the filthy old tubes in the corner. Cloud still wondered what they were for.

Cloud stopped in the middle of the laboratory and slowly turned his head towards the corridor that continued the library, towards the office. He was not surprised when he found another pair of slightly glowing eyes staring back at him. Cloud felt his mouth fall open a little, but the feeling was distant, and almost unreal.

Sephiroth was standing in the middle of the corridor again, his head also turned to look back at Cloud with a faint but sinister grin on his face. It was not the grin but the cold glare of his eyes that made Cloud freeze, the glare piercing him like a knife.

A full minute passed by as Cloud and Sephiroth stared at one another, neither one of them speaking. Looking at Sephiroth standing there with that grin on his face, Cloud began to feel the deep rage he felt for the older man beginning to swell in him. At first it was just normal anger, but the longer he gazed into Sephiroth's eyes the harder it became for him to control, as though someone had flicked off the safety switch. Pretty soon he found his voice and his movement again, and he turned towards the man with a furious glare in his eyes.

"Sephiroth!"

The corner of Sephiroth's mouth twitched and spread into something more worthy of being considered a sinister smile. It made Cloud step back like a silent command, and he fell silent. Sephiroth, on the other hand, was free to move as he lifted his gaze and looked around at the library walls around him.

"Being here brings back memories," he said, his voice so soft and almost gentle that it didn't even echo off the walls. After looking around he looked back at Cloud, curious. "Are you going to participate in the Reunion?"

"I don't even know what a Reunion is!" Cloud snapped. His hand was twitching to move to his sword, but the longer he stared at Sephiroth the harder it became for him to move his hand to it.

"Jenova will be at the Reunion," Sephiroth continued, seemingly unaware of Cloud's inability to draw his sword. Instead he returned to gazing at the walls of books and the secrets they held within them. "Jenova will join the Reunion becoming a calamity from the skies."

All at once Cloud stopped and stared at Sephiroth. He didn't move nor breathe, and his hand was no longer twitching. "Jenova," he said slowly, his voice sounding awkward. "A calamity from the skies? I thought she was an Ancient!"

Sephiroth suddenly snapped his head around and locked gazes with Cloud, feeling the younger male's abrupt jerk as their eyes met. There was no recognition of the words in his eyes. In fact, he was completely clueless, and Sephiroth frowned. "…I see," he said finally, his voice empty and emotionless as he spoke. "I don't think you have the right to participate."

He reached up and flicked back his silver hair, while his other hand remained on the hilt of his sword. He looked away in thought for a moment, before a faint flicker of a smile returned to his face.

"I will go North past Mt. Nibel," he said. "If you wish to find out… then follow…"

"…Reunion?" Cloud repeated, lost in Sephiroth's words. "Calamity from the skies?"

While Cloud was busy contemplating what Sephiroth had said, Sephiroth suddenly reached under his cloak and pulled out a small, rounded ball of green materia, and threw it at Cloud. Cloud didn't even have time to look up before it hit him, and he curled over and fell to his knees, groaning loudly as he clutched his waist, the ball of materia rolling in front of him.

With Cloud temporarily distracted, Sephiroth floated up away from the floor and flew forward. All Cloud could see through his tear-filled eyes was Sephiroth's shadow as he passed over him and flew out of the laboratory door, disappearing down the tunnel.

Once the pain began to subside, Cloud slowly staggered to his feet, picking up the materia as he moved. His sword felt heavy on his back, so he untied the strap that held it up and let the large blade fall weakly onto the ground. The materia attached to the sword also came loose and scattered across the floor, and the ball in Cloud's hands fell down as he lost his grip, joining the rest of the Mako balls in a scattered scurry across the floor.

Cloud didn't notice, nor did he care. He just stood there, breathing heavily, head lowered so that the longer lengths of his blond hair cast dark shadows across his eyes and they could hardly be seen. The cold feeling of fear and a slight, aching pain in the back of his head were all he could feel, apart from the cold fingers of the memory of Sephiroth that were still closing around him, even after Sephiroth had left.

* * *

**EMERALD:** **(waving a little flag)** Yay, I finally got that chapter done. Be sure to let me know if there's any spelling errors or stuff like that. I tend to end up writing these chapters at nine o'clock at night, or 6 in the morning. 

**CLOUD:** Which is all very well, but do you really have to wake me up as well when you write them?

**EMERALD:** Who else am I gonna ask? **(hugs Cloud)** You are my fountain of knowledge, Cloud-kun!

**CLOUD:** **(looks at watch)** 7:09am… That's 1,500 words in one hour and thirty minutes. What is the deal?

**EMERALD:** **(pouts)** Oh yeah… just as a little warning – I'm going to skip entering Mt. Nibel and go straight into the battle with the Materia Keeper next. Why? Because I feel like it! Nah, it's because I think writing up Cloud rejoining the others here would ruin the dark atmosphere I was trying to achieve at the end of this chapter, and entering Mt. Nibel isn't all that significant. Then again, neither is the battle against the Materia Keeper – what was the deal with that? Well, anyway, prepare for the battle, and a little bit of original stuff.


	10. Part 06: Chapter 10

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Ten**

Travelling through the rough and jagged peaks of Mt. Nibel was thought to be no problem for Cloud and his team. The paths were too bumpy for the buggy so they'd had no choice but to abandon it outside Nibelheim. The acting shopkeeper didn't have many items to sell, but they had managed to stock up on food and healing items for the next part of their journey.

The mountains themselves had seemed quiet enough. They were just as Cloud had remembered them, too. The rocky cliffs were still grey and lifeless. The air was still cold and dry, and the winding mist that still lay heavy across the mountain floor made him feel uneasy and apprehensive. He had had no doubt the others felt the same – Mt. Nibel wasn't a very hospitable place at any time.

They had soon discovered how inhospitable as they finished crossing the old wooden bridge that joined the two main mountains. They had barely even taken a few steps away from the bridge when a piercing screech came screaming down at them from the rising grey walls, making them stop and look up, their hands rushing towards their weapons.

Glaring back down at them had been a giant scorpion-like beast that lived inside the deepest crevices of Mt. Nibel. The Materia Keeper was perfectly adapted to its terrain – it had a body of thick, dark blue skin that was so tough it was almost impossible to penetrate with ordinary weapons. It had four strong legs tipped with gigantic claws for digging into rock, and two more back legs raised up to grip into the crevices of the mountain wall. Behind it were a long spiked tail and a flexible rod of firm flesh, making it a walking arsenal of spikes and claws. And with all that thick flesh and claws, defeating it would certainly be no easy task.

They couldn't believe how right they had been. With the Materia Keeper's tough flesh their weapons were proving next to useless. Not a single one had made a dent in the monster's flesh – not even Barret's bullets, firing at three-to-five bullets a second. Nor could they afford to get too close to the creature – that spiked tail and many claws were just waiting to grab onto them and slice them in half.

So, with all these handicaps in place, they had resorted to falling back on their last remaining weapons. Weapons that would prove to be the backbone and motivation for all of their battles to come: the Materia.

A single red ball was thrown up into the air and it shimmered brilliantly with an intense blue-white colour. Within seconds the shimmer had grown and solidified, bringing forth the form of a beautiful ice maiden contained within the ball. Her skin was iridescent, shimmering with many shades of blue like images reflecting off the surface of lightly rippling water. Her eyes were a deep, enchanting blue but held tremendous power, which only intensified as she floated down from the air to the spot in front of the Materia Keeper.

Shiva, the Maiden of Eternal Cold, slowly raised her right arm up above her head. A shower of icy sparkles began to glisten in the air as a blue ball of light formed at the tip of her fingers. When she was ready Shiva lowered her arm and cast the ball away from her.

The Materia Keeper never had the chance to react. It was still reeling from the fierce storm of flames that were burning around its tough skin, cast by Ifrit in the previous attack. Yet, although the flames were strong they were nowhere near powerful enough to damage the beast - its strength against heat was incredible. As Shiva's attack hit those flames were vanquished instantly, replaced by a structure of strong, slanted icicles. The Materia Keeper shuddered and then stilled within the icy frame, until the icicles shattered and Shiva disappeared in a shower of sparkles.

With the icy cage now gone, the Materia Keeper screeched and charged forward, its legs slicing up huge chunks of rock as it stomped forward like a charging cannon. It headed towards Yuffie and Aeris, who were standing cornered at the edge of the cliff overlooking the chasm.

Yuffie, furious at the thought of being cornered, leapt up from the sidelines and prepared to throw her shuriken. The Materia Keeper stopped and raised one of its powerful, claw-tipped feet and struck the girl in mid-leap, swiping her aside. The young ninja hit the ground hard and rolled across the floor, hitting one of the exhaust pipes that were sticking up out of the ground.

Ignoring the pelting parade of bullets that were attacking it from behind, the Materia Keeper then turned towards Aeris. She was already preparing her defence, her staff hovering in front of her as she began to cast the magic from her own materia. A swirling pool of black emptiness was forming in front of her, rippling like water.

The Materia Keeper raised its sharp-clawed, pincer-like leg and thrust it forward. The pincers touched the edge of the pool and quivered, a sharp swell spreading across the hard claws and spreading to the monster's skin. Pulled deeper into the pool by the gravitational the claw began to shrink and twist, its form being completely distorted by the field.

Alas, keeping the gravitational field going was extremely difficult, and Aeris was already struggling. Her hands trembled as she held them out in front of her, and the black pool was steadily beginning to draw back towards her as the Materia Keeper began to push it back. She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy on keeping the magic working… to save her from falling from the ledge. Still, as the Materia Keeper pushed the wall kept falling back and rippling harder, close to breaking despite Aeris's attempts.

A few seconds later the wall shuddered, before dissolving into a dozens droplets of black that slowly melted away into the air, leaving Aeris defenceless. As the Materia Keeper thrust its leg forward it stopped as another pool of black suddenly appeared ahead of it, blocking its attack again. Aeris looked over to her right and saw Cait Sith standing nearby, the materia in his megaphone twinkling vibrantly.

"Cait!" she called.

The cat didn't answer her, as his attention was entirely focused on keeping up the gravitational pool that was stopping the Materia Keeper from getting near to her. So far it was working, and the Materia Keeper was temporarily held still against its strong pull.

Using this moment of immobility to their advantage, the others chose this moment to attack. Barret, Cloud and Tifa cast a series of fire, ice and lightning attacks into the air, and a blur of fiery fur dashed alongside the monster. In his wake Red XIII created a series of cuts and scratches across the monster's skin, although they were not very damaging wounds and did not slow the monster in any way.

As if to prove this point, the Materia Keeper stepped back and broke away from the gravity field cast by Cait Sith. It stomped its legs into the rock as it turned around sharply so that it was facing Red XIII as he ran past. In a rage of fury the Materia Keeper lowered it head and charged forward. Red XIII jumped up as the Materia Keeper thrust the deadly horn on the front of its face forward, and yelped as he felt the hot sting scrape the side of his hind legs.

As the hound landed and staggered out of the way, Cloud suddenly zipped past and darted along the edge of the ledge, just as the Materia Keeper began to turn once again. He grabbed Aeris as he ran past, pulling her away from the edge just as the long, spiked tail of the Materia Keeper swung past them, missing them by a few inches.

As the Materia Keeper finished turning it spotted the two running away from it, and once again began to charge towards them. With its deadly claws raised it struck, but was stopped, as a flash of red appeared in front of it, and something golden-brown came up and caught the claws in mid-descent. Hearing the frustrated cry of the monster, Cloud and Aeris stopped and looked back.

The Materia Keeper had been stopped by Vincent, his left arm stopping the claws in their tracks. Vincent stood his ground as the monster pushed against him, not showing a single ounce of pain on his face as the claw dug into the golden plating surrounding his arm.

With the monster directly in front of him, Vincent flung open his cape with his free hand and pulled out the long and slender shotgun from his belt, and aimed over his left arm to the hideous face of the Materia Keeper.

He fired a single shot – straight into one of the Materia Keeper's eyes. It responded with a terrible shriek that echoed throughout the mountains, and as it stepped back away from Vincent it stamped its feet against the rock and making it shake. Dark green blood poured from its tiny, wounded eye.

Looking up at the wounded creature, Vincent placed his shotgun back into its holster and raised his gaze to it. He stared for a few seconds before his dark red eyes suddenly flashed and came to life in a sea of fiery red. It was a fierceness that was sweeping through the darker colours in a wash of life and anger, and with that sudden surge of energy came another power that the man had kept hidden until then, and he began to change.

It started off slowly at first, but increased in pace rapidly. From his eyes leaked a shade of dark purple that sank into his skin and began to spread across his face and neck, sinking underneath his clothes to the rest of his body. The skin of his face then began to thicken and bulge outwards, as though there was something living underneath his flesh that was trying to force its way out of him.

From there things began to happen very quickly. Vincent keeled over so that he was on his knees as a deep orange glow suddenly swept up from his feet and surrounded his body. Within that deep, opaque glow his clothes were gradually burned away, and his dark hair was swept up into the air as shades of red and purple were forced through, pushing away the dark. The bulging and thickening of his skin continued all over the rest of his body, merging with the purple shade that had taken over him.

By the time the transformation was complete, there was nothing left that could identify the new creature as Vincent. The glow faded to reveal a magnificent yet destructive beast. Many strong muscles and a sturdy structure had replaced Vincent's apparent frail form. His face was that of an angry beast, with the mane of purple-red hair falling loosely across his head and back, and even a tiny beard underneath his pointed muzzle.

Cloud and the others all stared in awe and fear at the beast Vincent had become. The man had said very little about himself since they left Nibelheim, and they had thought him to be nothing more than a skilled gunman. Yet before their eyes they had seen a terrific transformation – from which the delicate-looking man had become a strong, fierce beast.

"He… he turned into a monster!" cried Tifa.

"So this is what the letter meant when it said 'scientifically altered'," Red XIII said calmly, limping across the rock. His own wound was still bleeding, but he was more entranced and intrigued by the new creature. He could still smell Vincent in the air, but that scent was now merged with the scent of the new beast. "Very interesting."

With the change complete, the new beast, known as Galian, stormed forward and jumped up into the air. In mid-leap he roared loudly, so loud that the ground quaked beneath him. Sparks of light began to dot the air around the Materia Keeper, small at first but gradually growing larger. Then, in a sudden flash, they exploded.

A shower of powerful flames erupted around the Materia Keeper, surrounding it on all sides so that it couldn't escape. Even though it had a natural resistance to flames, it did not expect the flames of Galian to be so precise in finding the weak spots at the joints of its legs. Within seconds the flames filled those spots and burned the softer flesh, and the Materia Keeper crumpled onto the floor.

This was their chance. With the Materia Keeper down Cloud and the others all gathered round, ready to strike. Their materia at the ready they now planned to destroy the monster, using its own favoured item against it.

Just as they had done to the beast in the safe in Shinra Mansion, the group together let off an onslaught of magic into the air. Bolts of lightning flashed, showers of ice fell, and storms of flames rose up from the earth and surrounded the Materia Keeper and making it shriek even louder. To one side Yuffie used her Earth magic to make the ground beneath the monster shake and tremble, breaking up to create a pit. The Materia Keeper shuddered and collapsed into the hole, now completely vulnerable.

Together, Aeris and Cait cast a powerful wave of gravitational energy. It descended on the Materia Keeper and enveloped it, pushing it down. Its body was pulled completely out of proportion as it was pressed into the pit, its cry wavering and distorted, sounding as though it was crying from beneath the oceans.

Galian gave the final blow. With a final tremendous roar he once again cast another wave of fiery balls that flew down to the Materia Keeper, as it lay pressed in the pit. Upon contact they exploded in another fierce shower of flames, blowing the gravitational field apart. The Materia Keeper went with it, and as both energy fields faded there was nothing left of the creature except for the pit.

There was a moment of silence amongst the group as the last traces of energy faded away. They were all staring at the centre of the pit where the Materia Keeper had been just seconds before. There wasn't a single trace of flesh left, nor could they feel its spirit seep away into the mountains. It had been completely obliterated.

Galian slowly floated down onto the ground, his clawed feet landing at the edge of the pit. The others turned their gazes upon him as a calmer blue glow silently rose up around him, blocking him from their sight again. By the time the glow died away there was nothing left of Galian, and Vincent was standing in his place once again.

"Vincent…?" said Tifa, braving to be the first one to break the silence. "Umm… how did you…?"

Vincent refused to answer, and he also refused to look at them. He just pulled out his shotgun, opened up the barrel, and looked inside. Then he pulled out a small case containing more bullets, and placed one into the barrel to replace the one he had used against the Materia Keeper. With that done he placed both the case and the gun away, and began to walk away from them, towards the mountain exit.

"Well, ain't that jus' damn rude?" commented Barret, looking over at Vincent as he walked away from them. "Ya think he could've at least given an explanation." He looked down at Red XIII. "Ya reckon he's got somethin' to hide?"

Red XIII didn't look up. He was too busy licking away the blood from his hind leg. Thankfully the wound wasn't too deep or troublesome, and would heal quite quickly if it was given the time to heal. It was still quite painful, though.

"He is quite mysterious," the hound muttered between licks. "His scent is mostly human, but I also smell many unknown scents about him. I think… what we just saw, is just one of many forms or abilities." He gave one final lick, seemed satisfied, and stood up. "Scientifically altered… I wonder…"

"Whatever it is, it isn't any of our business," Cloud said coldly. "Let's just move on, shall we?"

Barret and Red XIII watched as Cloud walked briskly past them, following Vincent across the pit towards the exit of the mountains. Barret watched them closely as they walked away in total silence, before he scowled angrily and shook his fist.

"Damn! Feels like our team is CRAWLIN' with Ex-Shinra!" he snapped. "I swear if we get any more, I'm gonna scream!"

* * *

Following their brisk and somewhat unusual battle against the Materia Keeper, the group of eight continued to head through the mountains towards the exit. They were now heading back pretty much the way they had come, but on a different path that would lead them around the other side of the mountain and towards its exit, leaving them on the next part of the continent. Going deeper into the mountains would only lead them towards the Nibelheim reactor, but Cloud knew that Sephiroth wasn't heading there. 

Neither Cloud nor Vincent said anything as they walked on through the short stretch of winding path leading to the exit. They were both equally silent, both of them lost in their thoughts. The others, feeling uncomfortable by the almost hostile silence, made small talk amongst themselves. Mostly about the Shinra, where they could be heading… and even about the Gold Saucer, which felt like a world away from where they were right then.

Vincent was thinking about Professor Hojo and Lucrecia. He wondered how long it would be before he would run into the mad scientist again. All that time in his coffin inside Shinra Mansion had not subdued his anger for the scientist… and if travelling with Cloud and the others was the only way to find him… then so be it. And if they did indeed run into Sephiroth as well… then he would settle both problems at once.

Cloud, of course, was once again thinking about Sephiroth. He had managed to still the rising anxiety that had hit him so harshly inside the Shinra Mansion, but he couldn't remove the memory. The cold fingers, so icy and hard, still gripped the deepest reaches of his mind, ensuring that Sephiroth didn't slip his mind for even a second. Finding Sephiroth… stopping him from finding the Promised Land… and ending everything… That was what mattered the most.

"_Jenova will join the Reunion, becoming a calamity from the skies."_

Sephiroth's worse continued to run through his mind, like a record that was stuck and repeating the same lines over and over. They were repeated so much that even after the record stopped the words could still be heard.

Reunion? A calamity from the skies? It sounded like some sort of title. So did that mean that Jenova wasn't an Ancient after all? If she wasn't then Sephiroth wasn't an Ancient, either. They had already seen Jenova on board the Shinra ship from Junon to Costa del Sol, reborn from an arm thrown down by Sephiroth. She had seemed to be intact then, so what was this 'Reunion?'

"_Are you going to participate in the Reunion?"_

The words seemed to scream through Cloud's mind, like a nail scratching on the surface of a blackboard. It made his head throb and made a lump in Cloud's throat that he couldn't swallow or push away, and he felt a little dizzy and light-headed. To pull himself back before he fainted he gave his hair a sudden, sharp tug, making the back of his eyes sting.

"_Are you going to participate in the Reunion?"_

"I wish I knew that the 'Reunion' was…" Cloud muttered under his breath.

* * *

They eventually emerged from the mountains and back into the wide, grassy area of the Kutai Plains. The change between the land of the mountains and the plains was instantaneous. The dark and lifeless stony floor suddenly stopped and was replaced by a land of lush and verdant grass. The cold, harsh air of the mountains was filled with life again, carrying with it the fresh scent of grass and the faint, salty smell of the ocean no more than a few hundred metres ahead of them. 

Free of the cold, bleak restraints of the mountains, Aeris threw her staff down onto the ground. Forgetting about the others for a minute she kicked off her boots and ran forward onto the grass, feeling its soft, tickly feeling on the soles of her feet. There was a gentle breeze blowing from the west, and she could smell the scent of flowers that were blossoming in the sunlight. They reminded her of her own flower garden, all that way back in Midgar.

Looking up Aeris caught a flash of the sun shining high at the midday point. Warm rays were shining down on her, and right then all she wanted to do was lie back on the grass and watch the clouds go by. It was a truly picture perfect moment.

The others had also settled down on the grass, taking this moment to recuperate from their battle inside the mountain. Although there were no more monster attacks inside the mountain they was aware of those outside the mountain. There was a small pack of Nibel Wolves watching nearby, eyeing them over as potential prey.

Tifa walked over to the nearby river and took off her gloves. Already the thick red leather was beginning to wear from all their fighting – she would have to replace them soon. Kneeling down she dipped her fingers into the water and sighed, feeling the coolness against her skin. A shadow fell over her and she realised that Cloud had walked up beside her. He was looking out across the river towards Nibelheim, with their buggy still parked outside.

"We'll be setting off soon," Cloud said without looking at her. "Cait says the only other town around here is a place called Rocket Town about an hour's walk from here. We should be able to find it if we stick close to the mountain."

Tifa slowly nodded her head and looked back down at the water. She watched the water flow between her fingers, creating small bubbles of air as she swished her hand gently beneath the surface. Like the fire in Cosmo Canyon, she could see all sorts of things in the water. She found herself particularly looking at hers and Cloud's reflection, disjointed and wavering in the river's current.

"Cloud…" she said softly, pulling her hand from the water. "Do you ever get the feeling that we're just being led somewhere? That we're not really choosing where we want to go?"

Cloud looked down at her in surprise. "You mean like puppets on strings?" he asked.

"Almost like that…" Tifa said. She gazed back down at the water. "It's like this river. We see ourselves in its reflection, but each drop is swept away of its own will." She reached out and touched the surface of the water, watching it ripple. "We can't do anything about it, but we know where it's heading. I just wonder where we're heading. I guess I do feel like a puppet. Do you feel like that?"

Cloud closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "I don't really know," he admitted finally. "All I know is that if we keep following Sephiroth and the Shinra, then eventually we'll get somewhere." He scratched his head. "I guess that's really not much help."

"No, it is," said Tifa. "I just felt like I needed some assurance."

Cloud nodded. "Don't worry, Tifa," he said. "It'll be fine."

His words seemed to reassure her, and she smiled faintly. Cloud wasn't surprised she was feeling a little down. They had made their way across the ocean and across two continents, but still they had no idea where Sephiroth was heading or what he was up to. It was beginning to affect everyone. Except Vincent, that is, since no one could ever really tell what he was thinking.

"Cloud! Tifa!" The two looked up as they saw Aeris standing with the others at the corner of Mt. Nibel. "Hurry up, or we'll leave you behind!"

"Coming!" Tifa called back. She shook her hand dry and slipped her gloves back on. Pushing her hair away from her face as she stood up, she turned and headed back towards the others. After a few steps she stopped, and turned back to Cloud with a happy smile on her face. "Thanks, Cloud," she added, before turning back and ran across the grass.

* * *

**Emerald:** Sorry for the wait for this chapter, but I've had a lot on my mind this summer. Plus I tend to slow down at battle chapters. And yes, I know the Materia Keeper absorbs fire attacks, but I didn't want to give that kind of handicap, so I made the Materia Keeper strong against fire, but it had a little weakness. It was just so I could include Vincent's transformation and use its ability, since I couldn't think of a better place to add it. 


	11. Part 06: Chapter 11

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

Emerald Princess of Vernea

Chapter Eleven

Two hours had passed by before the group finally saw their first sights of Rocket Town. They thought they would never reach the town, and were immensely relieved as they passed the small hill and saw the town standing in the middle of the fields, probably no more than a few miles away.

The journey had proved much more tiring than they had first thought. Two long, agonising hours had been spent in the blazing sunlight. No sooner had they stepped away from the mountains did the breeze shift its direction so that it no longer blew from the west. Nor was there any comforting shadow from the mountains, for as the sun moved further to the west it pushed away the shadows of the mountains, leaving them only with hot, tiring sunlight. Even Aeris had lost her thrill for the light and the warmth, her boots tied loosely around her neck so that her feet could cool down against the soft stalks of grass.

True to form, Cait had got his information completely wrong. The one-hour journey he had promised had quickly extended as they headed across the Kutai Plains, with no sign of any town anywhere. Cait blamed the mistake on the fact that he was calculating how long it would take them to travel by buggy – except that they had left the buggy outside of Nibelheim. And as Barret chased the cat and Mog across the fields, his anger fuelled by the heat, the cat shouted, "It's not my fault! I'm just a simple fortune teller!'

At which point Barret had replied in a fit of rage, "I ain't gonna need a fortune teller to predict YOUR future!"

The Nibel Wolves that stalked the Kutai Plains hadn't made the journey any easier, either. The small pack of wolves had been following Cloud and the others ever since they exited the winding paths of Mt. Nibel, waiting for the right time to attack. They found that time about an hour later, when the group sat down in the middle of the field to fuel themselves with water and food they had picked up in Nibelheim.

They had attacked in a sudden, vicious onslaught, but everyone remained surprised at how easily they had been dealt with. It would most certainly stick in their minds as one of their most bizarre victories to date. In fact no one even noticed the wolves arriving, until Aeris had suddenly stood up, staff in hand, and held it out level in front of her.

As the bearer of the Choco/Mog materia, Aeris had expected the comic duo of Chocobo and Mog to emerge from the materia and simply chase off the beasts approaching them. Yet, as the materia flashed with a deep red passion and ejected a thin red line of light into the air that flew up and burst with a puff of white smoke, she realised that something else was happening.

The underside of the cloud rippled and then parted as something large and yellow dropped down from within. It was at this point that the others noticed what was going on and looked up, their eyes wide as they saw the yellow creature that was being dropped from the cloud.

The creature was a Chocobo, but not the usual kind. This Chocobo was large, much larger than any Chocobo they had ever seen. It was also incredibly fat, its body like a large, bulbous ball of skin, feathers and fur. Even its face was fat: humorous eyes looking out from a podgy little face.

The wolves were still running at that point. They did not notice the giant shadow that had suddenly formed above them and was gradually growing bigger as they ran. It was only within the last few seconds before the Fat Chocobo hit the ground with an almighty thud that the wolves finally spotted it and swerved aside.

One wolf did not manage to run aside in time. The giant body of the Fat Chocobo landed directly on top of it, squashing the beast under its heavy bulk. Only its tail could be seen twitching at one side, the rest of its body pressed beneath the summon monster. The rest of its pack had fled in fear, leaving their companion behind to the fate of the Fat Chocobo.

The Fat Chocobo had then smiled happily with its tiny little beak, and then dispersed back into the air in a second puff of white smoke. It left behind the Nibel Wolf, lying flat against the grass in a groove made from the Chocobo's form. It was still alive, albeit unconscious, but it would certainly take a while to recover.

With the Nibel Wolves removed the group quickly chose to move on, the sight of the Fat Chocobo still fixed in their minds as the most bizarre summon they had seen and would probably ever see. Not surprisingly the wolves did not bother them again, and they were free to enter Rocket Town.

* * *

**Rocket Town**

The group was very surprised as they passed through the gates of Rocket Town and stood on its dusty path. Surprised because there was no sign of the Shinra or even a Mako Reactor anywhere within the whole town – from what they could see.

There were even people walking around – people who did not carry the usual expressions of sadness and misery that they had seen in so many previous towns like Gongaga and North Corel. The people of this town appeared to be normal, unaffected by the effects of the Shinra. Some people even managed to give the group a warm, welcoming glance as they entered the town.

The town itself was plain and simple enough. There was a bar and inn, a weapon and an item shop, all the usual homes and shops they expected to see in a small town. Although they did notice that the homes looked in quite good condition, unlike the older homes they had seen in many other towns, all shabby and rundown. Perhaps they hadn't, because Cloud felt certain that on the older world maps he had seen this town hadn't been placed on it.

It almost felt a little strange entering a town that apparently seemed unaffected by the Shinra. They had become so used to seeing miserable faces and hearing stories of loss and broken promises that they expected it, even in this town.

Cautiously and somewhat uneasily, Cloud and the others stepped forward into the town. At any moment they expected to turn a corner and see the ruins of another failed reactor, or a mass graveyard, or something that showed any signs of misery caused by the Shinra.

Cloud turned his head from left to right, very nearly desperate to spot something that related to the Shinra. He got his answer when he looked right ahead towards the strange structure that they had seen out in the Kutai Plains. "What's that…?" he exclaimed, pointing up the structure.

Everyone looked up, and was just as surprised as Cloud was. In the distance they had thought the structure to be nothing more than a tall building, but up close it was clear that this was not the case.

It was actually a rocket – a very old and worn rocket at that. It was made of strong, study bronze metal that had become so rusted with age that most of the colour was gone. Instead of standing upright like a normal rocket, this one was slowly tilting onto its side, held up only by the edges of the metal pillars that surrounded it. Yet even those were failing, gradually bending as the weight of the rocket pushed on them and pushed them aside.

"A rusty old rocket…" said Cloud as he gazed up at the rocket. "Wonder what they'd make something that huge for?"

While he spoke the others walked past him and strolled into the town, taking the time to explore. Cloud followed, eventually, after spending another minute or so gazing up at the leaning rocket. There was some writing on the side of the rocket that he couldn't make out – worn off with age – but Cloud didn't feel it was really that important to know.

So, with nothing better to do than to wait, Cloud began to explore the town on his own. He saw the others as he walked, gathering information about the town from the townspeople. He even saw Barret and Vincent inspecting the Weapons Shop near the entrance of town, although there was not much worth buying. There was some interesting stuff in the Item Shop, but that was all.

Cloud left the Item Shop without buying anything, and stood in the middle of the town. From where he was he could see pretty much all of the town – the rocket to his left, the town's entrance to his right, and a few houses behind and ahead of him. There was also a quaint little house just ahead of him, but it didn't strike as important then, either.

Suddenly getting the feeling that he was being watched, Cloud tensed up and looked to his left. He relaxed when he saw that it was an old man just sitting in a chair outside the weapon shop, gazing at him through old, grey eyes. They were not the eyes of someone who had been hurt tremendously over the years. Rather they were the eyes of a happy, content old man, gazing at the young man before him as though basking in some distant memory.

When he had finished looking at Cloud the old man turned away and turned away in his chair to look up at the rocket. Cloud was about to walk away when the old man suddenly said, completely out of the blue, "This used to be a Shinra base where they used to launch rockets."

Cloud stopped where he was and looked back at the old man, wondering what had made him speak so suddenly. The old man didn't turn, and continued to look up at the rocket as he spoke again. Assuming the old man was talking to him, Cloud didn't move from where he stood.

"You saw the leaning rocket, right? That's Shinra No. 26. It never got off the ground though. It just looms there. That's how the town got its name… 'Shinra No. 26'." The old man slowly turned his head and looked at Cloud again, his grey eyes glimmering hopefully. "Want to look at the rocket with me?"

Cloud stared uncaringly for a second, but then his face softened and he smiled. "Yeah, let's take a look," he said.

The old man's face creased into a warm smile before he turned and looked up at the old rocket ahead of him. His face just seemed to lighten up the longer he gazed at the old thing, admiring its structure and the way it was perfectly balanced on the metal pillars. Although it was worn and old and so close to falling over, Cloud got the feeling that the old man could see something about the rocket that he couldn't. Something mystical… perhaps magical… No… that was just silly.

Eventually the old man sighed and climbed out of his chair, turning around to face Cloud. The smile remained on his face even as he stood, looking at Cloud with a certain admiration.

"I get so impressed every time I look at it," the old man said cheerfully. "Sorry to get you into this. For me, it's a kinda hobby. But, out of appreciation, let me give you this." He reached out behind his chair and pulled out a sword. "I wish you'd take care of it and use it…"

Cloud didn't say anything as he accepted the sword, closing his hand around the handle and holding it out in front of him. Despite its age it was a beautiful sword, and was much thinner than his sword. Yet, somehow Cloud got the feeling he wouldn't use the sword much, although he didn't feel right to refuse the man's kind gesture.

It wasn't that Cloud didn't like the sword. It was a beautiful model, known as Yoshiyuki, and was in a sense more practical than his sword. Even so, Cloud didn't feel able to give up his Buster Sword. He had used it ever since Midgar, and it held such a strong attachment to him that he couldn't explain it. So he just smiled at the old man, and placed the sword behind his back, hooking it alongside his Buster Sword. The two swords together were heavier, but Cloud figured he could manage until he could find somewhere or someone to give the sword to. Someone who could use the sword, like the old man wanted.

Leaving the old man to continue gazing at the old rocket, Cloud headed over to the inn back at the town's entrance. He figured that they would all need to gather sometime soon and discuss what they should do next. If the Shinra were heading west then they should turn up sooner or later… he hoped. At least he now knew that the town did have a connection to Shinra, albeit a past connection.

Cloud pushed open the door to the inn and walked boldly inn. As he entered he saw that the inn also doubled up as a bar as well as an inn, with the bar positioned to his right, while the innkeeper's desk was directly ahead. He wasn't interested in booking a room though, so instead he just turned and headed straight towards the bar.

As he walked up he saw that he hadn't been the only one with the idea of waiting in the bar. Aeris was there too, having a drink at one of the tables in the dim lighting. Red XIII was on the floor beside her, his tail swishing lightly between the legs of the table. Lastly there was Cait Sith, standing silently in the corner with his back to them. He was completely motionless, and Cloud figured maybe he had somehow turned himself off for a while to conserve his energy. Cloud did wonder what Cait ran on, if he was indeed mechanical…

Cloud looked at Aeris. She was sat quietly at the table, her finger lightly tapping the edge of the glass, like she was lost in thought. She looked it, too, her face in a very serious expression that Cloud rarely ever saw on her. Aeris was always so light-hearted and cheerful around the others, but maybe she also had a lot of things on her mind that she didn't share. Cloud decided that maybe she wanted to be on her own, so instead of going over to her he went over to the bar, where the barman was polishing a glass behind the counter.

"Would you like something to drink?" the barman asked without looking up at him.

Cloud nodded. The barman put down the glass he was polishing and began to mix up a drink from various bottles that were lined up along the bar. Cloud watched him as he worked. Eventually his thirst for knowledge about the town got the better of him as he asked the barman about the town. "Let me hear your story," he said.

When the barman was finished mixing the drink he placed the glass in front of Cloud. "Did you meet the Captain already?" he asked in exchange, continuing to polish his glasses. "He's really the town's representative, so you should really talk with him."

It wasn't the first time Cloud had heard the name 'Captain' mentioned. A number of people in the town had advised they talk to the Captain about the town. Cloud didn't know whether they were just being evasive, or if they were just genuinely advising them to talk to this 'Captain'. Either way he really did seem like an important figure amongst the townspeople.

"Better ask the Captain about this town," another man piped up from one of the tables. "He's the one in charge of it."

"Captain? Who's the 'Captain'?" Cloud asked.

The man took a long, hard swig of his drink and swallowed it in one gulp. With the glass now empty he put it on the table and turned to look up at Cloud. "The Captain was a pilot when Shinra was still interested in their Space Program," he explained briefly. "He was going to be the world's first astronaut, but there was an accident… Ever since then, he's been wasting his life away here dreaming about going into outer space."

Hearing what the man said made Cloud think. Perhaps this was the reason why Shinra were heading west. Was there something in Rocket Town that they wanted, or did the 'Captain' know something about Sephiroth? Either way it sounded like a safe bet that they find the Captain and find out before the Shinra got there. Even so, Cloud couldn't help but ask.

"Did you see a man in a Black Cape?" Cloud asked.

The man leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his head. He thought seriously for a minute, before he eventually shook his head. "A man in a Black Cape?" he repeated. "Nope… don't know a thing about it."

His answer seemed genuine enough, so Cloud had no real reason not to believe him. The man and the barman said no more, so Cloud quickly finished his drink and broke Aeris from her thoughts, along with Red XIII. Getting Cait back online took a few more minutes before the cat finally realised someone was shaking his body and looked up, confused. When he was awake they headed back out into the town again, rounding up the others before gathering outside the house that the townspeople pointed out to them as the Captain's house.

It was quite a quaint little house, with a dark-tiled roof and four glass-paned windows that overlooked the town. There was no garden that they could see, but the small white fence that surrounded the house extended all the way to the very back of the house. When they looked they could see that it extended even further than that, and there was a glimpse of something pink and blue there.

Ignoring the back garden for the moment, Cloud and the others went up to the front door and knocked gently. They waited a moment for an answer, and when they got none, Cloud knocked a little bit harder. Cloud tried the door handle, and was surprised to find that the door was unlocked. After a confirmation nod from each of the others, he opened the door fully and walked inside.

The house was just as quaint inside as it was outside. It was nothing fancy – the living room/kitchen took up most of the house's interior, with three other doors leading to smaller rooms. There was a small circular table in the middle of the living room with four chairs around it, placed on a green rug that had lost most of its softness over the years.

"Doesn't look like anyone's here," said Tifa, as they looked around the living room.

She was right. Although the other doors were shut so they couldn't see, there was no sound of anyone else in the house, unless they were being extremely silent. There was one other door in the house, hidden at the very back down a small passageway. It probably led to the back garden. Cloud remembered the strange object he had seen from his glimpse outside the house and headed for the back door.

The door did indeed lead to the back garden of the house, and it was larger than they expected. The garden bordered onto a field that joined up with the rocket launch pad area. But it was what was in the garden that caught their attention.

The pink and blue object they had seen from the front was a small plane. It was not a very fancy-looking plane, and most of the paint was worn and a little bit dirty with age, but it was still in good condition. The blue bit they had seen was its nose, and it had more blue bits patterned across it. It had a blunted nose rather than the usual smooth point, with the propellers on the wings. There was also a very familiar logo painted on the side. In spite of its age it looked very airworthy – just perfect for travelling some distances.

"There's a Shinra logo on it," said Cloud. He walked up close to the plane and wiped away some of the dried dirt on the side of the plane, revealing the plane's name. "Tiny Bronco…… This is cool."

"I wonder if we can borrow it," said Tifa.

Cloud nodded thoughtfully. If they could borrow the plane then they could make excellent time on their journey – far better time than they had made with the buggy. With that plane, the two-hour journey they had taken just to get to Rocket Town would have taken them no more than twenty minutes. Possibly less or more, depending on how fast the plane could fly.

"The Shinra always keep the most useful things to themselves. Let's steal it!" snapped Barret fiercely. The fiery glare was back in his eyes, fired up at the thought of stealing from the Shinra and making them squirm. Yuffie had the same glare in her eyes, her fingers twitching as she itched to make some trouble for the Shinra. Cloud sighed. They would never change.

"Um… may I help you?"

The group all tensed up and stood rigid in front of the plane as the soft and slightly trembling female voice spoke out to them. When the shock subsided the group slowly turned around and saw a woman standing behind them, peering out at them through a pair of old glasses.

She looked to be in her late twenties or perhaps early thirties, and was wearing a long, white lab coat. At first they thought she was a scientist, until they saw specks of oil on her face and hands – an engineer, maybe? Her brown hair was slightly scruffy, tied back in a rough ponytail to keep it away from her face, although a few strands managed to break free and hung over her face. She seemed friendly enough.

"No…" Cloud replied, being the first to break from the shock-induced tautness. "We're just looking at it."

The woman stared at him for a minute, before her mouth upturned into a smile. "…If you would like to use it, please ask the Captain," she told him. Her voice had a very anxious, wavering tone to it, like she was nervous about speaking. "The Captain should be in the Rocket. I'm Shera. And what are your names?"

"I'm Cloud," Cloud said, giving a nod. He looked round at the others, who had now all broken from their own nervous stances.

"Tifa. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Barret, of AVALANCHE."

"I'm Aeris."

"Nanaki, otherwise known as Red XIII."

"I'm Yuffie!"

"Fortune telling machine Cait Sith here."

"Vincent. My occupation is…… forget it."

Shera looked round at the group of eight and nodded. She smiled again, but there was a slightly disappointed look in her brown eyes, as though she was expecting them to be someone else. "Hmm…" she mumbled wistfully, her voice muffled as she folded her arms and put one hand thoughtfully over her mouth. "So you're not with the Shinra. I thought the approval for the reopening of the Space Program came."

Cloud's eyes opened wide. "……?" he exclaimed. So the Shinra _were_ coming to Rocket Town, after all. What for?

Shera nodded again, the loose strands of her hair flying across her eyes. "President Rufus is scheduled to come here," she explained to them as she wiped the strands aside. "The Captain's been so restless this morning."

The woman then turned away and headed back inside the house, leaving Cloud and the others standing outside in front of the plane. When she was gone and the door was shut, Cloud turned to face the others.

"Rufus?" he exclaimed.

* * *

**Chibis:** Happy birthday to Cloud! Happy birthday to Cloud! Happy birthday dear Cloud! Happy birthday to Cloud! Hee hee! 

**Cloud:** Umm… thanks?

**Emerald:** Happy birthday, Cloud-kun! Now for your birthday glomp! Muses… GLOMP!

**Cloud:** AAAAHHH!** –runs like hell- **


	12. Part 06: Chapter 12

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twelve**

The rocket seemed to be far taller up close than it did outside of the town. Cloud and the others never realised it until they were stood directly beneath it, overwhelmed by its size. It must certainly have been a fine rocket when it had been built, and a lot of effort had clearly been put in to keep the rocket in good condition. A lot of the rust had been scraped off, and the metal had been frequently polished. It was especially shinier that day, as though someone had scrubbed the metal for hours to make it look as good as possible.

There was no sign of the Captain as they approached the rocket. They only people they saw around the rocket were workers making final adjustments to the launch bay. Now there wasn't a single stray leaf or branch to be found around the rocket. Whatever was happening that day, the people were certainly making an effort to make the rocket and the town look presentable.

Remembering Shera's words, Cloud and the others walked around to the side of the rocket, looking up for a way in. Halfway up one of the pillars they saw a metal platform leading straight to the rocket, where an open doorway could just be seen through the metal. And, from inside the doorway, they could hear the sounds of someone shouting angrily inside.

One by one they made their way up the side of the rocket, using the ladder on the pillar. Only Red XIII and Cait Sith stayed behind, deciding they wouldn't waste their energy climbing up unnecessary ladders just yet. They waited at the bottom, resting on the ground, while the others headed into the rocket.

The sound of the angry shouting became louder as they climbed up. They couldn't make out much of what was being said, other than that it was absolutely filled with frustration and anger, and certainly needed to cut out a swear word or two. Along with the shouting there came the furious clank of metal crashing onto metal, an extra sign to the air of sheer frustration that was radiating from inside the rocket.

Stopping just outside of the door, Cloud and the rest of the group were almost afraid to step inside the rocket. Whoever this 'Captain' was, judging by the sound of his voice, he certainly didn't sound like he was in the best of moods. They waited nervously for a minute or two, and when the clanking sounds subsided, they plucked up the courage to peer round the doorway.

There was a man standing just a few metres away from them, his back to them as he faced the wall, a wrench in his hand as he worked on tightening the pipes that ran along the floor.

Although they couldn't see his face with his back turned, he was dressed in a thick blue jacket with the sleeves rolled right up to his elbows, and brown leather gloves on his hands that were slightly old and worn over the years. He had a head of short blond hair that was pushed back by a set of air goggles strapped around his head. There was a cigarette packet lodged underneath the strap by his left ear, a single cigarette sticking up out of the packet waiting to be drawn.

Looking around at the inside of the rocket, there didn't seem to be much to look at. There was a door leading to the cockpit and another door leading to the deeper depths of the rocket, but that was pretty much it.

There was one thing of notice in the corridor, though. There was a long and fearsome spear lying on the floor by the man's feet. It was incredibly long and made of strong, polished wood, with an incredibly sharp metal point at the top, perfectly shaped for quick stabs and slashes. It seemed quite an unusual weapon to have lying around, since it was precarious in unsteady hands. In skilled hands, on the other hand, it could be an incredibly dangerous weapon.

The man didn't notice them at first as Cloud and the others stepped through the doorway – he was far too busy cursing and mumbling loudly to himself to notice anything. It was only when Barret stepped off the platform and onto the metal floor of the rocket with his huge, heavy boots stamping against the metal that he heard them. He looked up, surprised, and turned around to face them.

His face was coarse and somewhat unshaven, and he had a single cigarette perched in his mouth. He looked to be in his early thirties, and his blue eyes glared at the group with a fierce gaze that seemed about to snap at any given second. He didn't look too impressed to see them either, for not even a flicker of a warm, welcoming smile appeared on his face, unlike the rest of Rocket Town.

"What're you guys doin' here?" the man snapped, so fiercely and on edge that it took the others completely by surprise and made them all jump back.

No one answered at first – they were all taken aback by the man's sharpness and somewhat unwelcoming attitude. After a moment or two Aeris nudged Cloud in the back between his shoulder blades, pushing him and urging him to speak for them.

Cloud complied with Aeris's insistent nudging eventually, for even he was a little bit anxious of the man's fierce demeanour. "We heard the Captain was here," he said.

The man took the cigarette he had been smoking out of his mouth, threw it on the floor and stamped it out with his boot. "Captain?" he asked. "I'm the Captain! The name's Cid. Everyone calls me 'Captain' though." He pulled out the spare cigarette from the packet lodged underneath his goggles, lit it, and stuck it in his mouth. "What d'ya want?"

Cloud was about to ask about the Tiny Bronco, but he stopped before the words left his lips. He remembered the way Cid had been shouting before they entered. He thought it would be best to try and lighten his mood somehow… perhaps ask about something that may just cheer him up slightly until they were ready to ask about borrowing the Tiny Bronco.

"Tell me about this rocket," he said finally, guessing that the rocket was a good topic to start with.

He guessed right. Cid's frustrated frown was lifted instantly, changing into a smile of happiness and surprise. He almost looked like a different person and it took them all by surprise to see such an instant change.

"Wow! Not bad for a kid," the elder man said. "Alright then, I'll explain it to you." He put his wrench down on the ground beside his spear and faced the group. "You know Shinra developed a lot of technological gadgets during the meaningless war, right? Now it's a Mako company, but in the old days it was a Weapons manufacturer. Well, they came up with a Rocket Engine."

"There was so much excitement about the thought of going into outer space. Our dreams got bigger and bigger. They put a major budget into it and made prototype after prototype! Finally, they completed Shinra No. 26. They chose the best pilot in Shinra – no, in the world – me. I mean, come on. And we finally get to the day of the launch. Everything was goin' well…"

All of a sudden Cid spun around and kicked the wall, making everyone jump. It carried such force that it made the corridor shake a little, and the sound of the kick echoed throughout the other empty corridors of the rocket. The happy smile had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, replaced once again by the deep, raging fury that was permanently on his face.

"But, because of that dumb-ass Shera, the launch got messed up. That's why they became so anal!" He stared angrily at the wall as he shouted, until he realised just how much anger he was showing. He quickly recovered himself and turned back to them. "And so, Shinra nixed their outer space exploration plans. After they told me how the future was Space Exploration and get my damn hopes up… DAMN THEM!"

"Then, it was all over once they found out Mako energy was profitable. They didn't even so much as look at space exploration. Money, moola, dinero! My dream was just a financial number for them! Look at this rusted Rocket! I was supposed to be the first man in space with this. Everyday, it tilts a little bit more. At this rate, I don't know which will come first, this thing falling down or me gettin' outta here. My last hope is to talk to the President……"

"Is Rufus coming?" Cloud asked.

Cid responded by taking a large puff out of his cigarette. He blew out deeply, sending a cloud of grey smoke into the air, before putting the stick behind his right ear out of the way. "Yeah!" he replied, his mood starting to lift once again. "It must be news about restarting the Space Program. A young President, that's what we needed. He still has dreams, too!"

Cloud and the rest of the group said nothing. Unfortunately they knew better. Whatever it was that Rufus was coming to Rocket Town for, it certainly had nothing to do with restarting the Space Program. And judging by the amount of effort that had been put into making the rocket look more presentable, Cid was going to be in for one heck of a disappointment. Cloud sighed heavily, and decided to ask the dreaded question.

"Can we borrow the 'Tiny Bronco'?"

The moment Cid heard the words 'borrow' and 'Tiny Bronco', his head snapped around and glared at Cloud with such a fierce intensity that Cloud felt himself shrink back inside. Clearly he had struck a nerve.

"You out of your #&$$# mind?" Cid shouted. "That's my most cherished possession. I can't let you take it."

And to prove that that was the last he was going to say on the matter Cid turned around, picked up his wrench from the floor and began to work again. He completely ignored the people behind him, and when Cloud tried to talk to him again he just banged the wrench on the pipes, drowning out his voice.

Seeing that they weren't going to get anywhere with the stubborn air captain, the group had no choice but to go back down the rocket and back into town. The looks on their faces explained all to Red XIII and Cait as they all stepped off the ladder, and they slowly headed back into town and Cid's house.

The house was completely empty as they went back inside, and they couldn't see Shera anywhere. However they could hear sounds out back, so they presumed that Shera was in the backyard with the Tiny Bronco. No doubt she was making the backyard look respectable in case Rufus did come.

The group all stood silently in the living room, thinking. For the first time in their journey they had reached a dead end and didn't know where to head next. Even if they did borrow the Tiny Bronco, where would they go with it? Further west, to the next small continent? Or up north, to the icy regions of the Northern Continent? Either way they still didn't know which way Sephiroth or Shinra were heading, so their best bet was probably to stick around until Rufus arrived and, hopefully, get a lead on their next destination.

"Excuse me… Cloud?" came Shera's voice.

Everyone looked up as Shera stepped in from the outside. As they suspected she had been clearing the backyard, for her long, white coat was lightly scraped in dirt and dead leaves that she had been shifting out of the way. More proof came from the brush and bag she held on her hands, the bag filled with leaves. Her hair was also a little more ruffled up than before, and her glasses were slightly crooked on her face. "Did the Captain say anything?" she asked as she set the bag down on the ground, adjusting her glasses so they were back in place.

"Nope…" Cloud said, sagging his shoulders.

Shera didn't seem very surprised to hear that. "Oh…?" she said, trying her best to sound a little surprised. But she didn't do a very good job of it.

At that second the front door swung open, banging loudly against the wall of the house and making Yuffie jump out of her skin. Cid then stormed in from outside, his spear in his hand and strolled into the living room. He looked at Cloud and then at the rest of the group one by one, grunted loudly, and then turned and glared furiously at poor Shera.

"$#! Shera. What are you, blind?" he shouted, pointing at Cloud and the rest of the group. "We got guests! GET SOME TÉA! $#!"

As the Captain shouted, Shera flinched and shrank back, hiding half of her face in the collar of her coat. She quickly recovered and pulled herself out again, but her voice trembled nervously when she spoke. "I… I'm sorry," she apologised quickly. She then hurried over towards the kitchen part of the living room and pulled out some mugs, turning on the kettle to make a pot of tea. The others watched as she worked as quickly as she could, but her hands were shaking so much that they expected her to drop a cup at any moment.

"Really, don't mind us," Cloud said, eyeing the way Shera was precariously trying to pour milk into half of the cups. He didn't want Shera to get into trouble because of them being there.

Cid was at the wall then, hanging his spear up on the wall as though on display. When Cloud spoke he could have sworn he saw Cid twitch, for he suddenly turned around and looked fiercely at Cloud. "Shut up!" he ordered sternly Sit your ass down and drink your goddamn TEA! Arggggggh! DAMN, I'm pissed! Shera! I'll be in the backyard tunin' up Tiny Bronco! An' make sure to serve them some tea! All right?"

With that remark said and done, Cid walked briskly past Barret and Vincent and went straight out of the back door, slamming it shut behind him without a care. Like the front door it shut with a slam that echoed throughout the house, making Shera jump again and almost dropping the bottle of milk.

"…Damn, man. Wassup with that guy's attitude?" commented Barret.

Cloud walked over to Shera. "Sorry," he said. "It's our fault."

Shera put down the bottle of milk on the side of the worktop and turned around. She took off her glasses and wiped them on her coat, removing a speck of dirt from the frame. She looked much better without her glasses, they thought. "No, no," she said to them. "He's always like this."

"Is it like this all the time?" asked Aeris, looking a little concerned. "You keep quiet even when he's like that to you?" She looked horrified as Shera nodded, wondering how on earth Shera could cope with a guy like that everyday.

"I think it's a bit too harsh," said Red XIII.

"…It's amazing that you can live with it," said Vincent.

They all tried to picture what it must be like for poor Shera. To live everyday with a man who did nothing but yell at her, order her around and most likely criticise every thing she did. They remembered vaguely in the rocket the way Cid had referred to her – 'that dumb-ass Shera'. How could she possibly live like that? How could she just stand there and take that abuse and not say anything? They found themselves feeling a new sort of respect for Shera, for being able to live through it.

Finished with rubbing her glasses clean Shera put them back on, moving her hair out of the way so she could hook the thin frames over her ears. "No…" she said in answer to Red XIII and Vincent's comments. "It's because of my stupid mistake. I was the one who destroyed his dream…"

One by one everyone looked at Shera.

"What happened?" asked Cloud.

* * *

"_Hey! Get your ass in gear! You work like a snail! Even the moon'd get tired waitin' around for your ass!"_

"_I'm… I'm sorry."_

_Shera worked as fast as she possibly could. She put her clipboard on the floor and opened up a small hatch in the side of the oxygen tank. Peering inside, she could see a large number of cables and wires that organised the flow of oxygen in the tank, keeping it steady so there wasn't an overflow. They were also the cables responsible for keeping the thick metal doors of the tanks securely shut, and it was this that she was looking at._

_She wasn't entirely happy with how the system was working. The other tanks she had checked seemed fine, but this one in particular looked like it had a malfunction. It was only slight, but Shera wasn't happy with it. Whenever she pushed the button to close the door it always stayed slightly open, perhaps half a centimetre. And even though the oxygen was contained in another separate tank inside the first one that should contain it, in extreme heat it could possibly burst open. It was a very minimum risk, but she wanted to make sure it was absolutely perfect._

_Cid didn't seem to appreciate her caution. He stood behind her, looking over her shoulder with his usual irritated expression, perhaps more irritated now the big day had finally come. They had all been waiting many months for this day to arrive and were eager to complete all their tasks and get the big job underway._

_But… of course… Shera was lagging behind._

"_Don't take so much time checkin' that $# oxygen tank!" Cid snapped, folding his arms. "Shera, bein' careful's good, but it won't do any good, no matter how many times you check that oxygen tank. That think wouldn't break if hell froze over." He tapped his foot impatiently on the floor, as though that somehow would make Shera speed up._

"_But…" Shera said. As she looked up her finger fell on the wire she was checking, and she got a slight electric shock like she was touching the edge of a light bulb, making her wince. Already her finger was tingling and becoming slightly numb, but it had only been a small shock, nothing serious._

"_No buts!" Cid shouted, not noticing. "You're not stupid, so be more efficient!"_

"_I'm sorry…" Shera said quietly, cradling her tingling finger._

_Cid then turned and walked out of the engine room, leaving Shera alone to continue checking the rest of the oxygen tanks. Shera was an excellent engineer, but she was just so slow. Cid knew she was just being careful, but there was no point worrying over something so small._

_His mood soon lifted as he walked along the corridors leading to the cockpit. Here he was, Cid Highwind, one of the best pilots in all of Shinra, walking down the final paths to achieve his greatest dream. After so many months of waiting and failed experiments, Shinra No. 26 was finally completed and ready to launch. It was only a matter of time now before the countdown would start, the engines would ignite and the pillars fell away, and the rocket would blast off into the sky and, finally, into outer space._

_Cid stopped as he felt the usual tingle of excitement bubble inside him – in his veins, and in his heart. He felt like a child going down a slide for the first time, getting the ecstatic thrill of moving at high speed, zooming towards the ground. Only this time he was doing the reverse. He was going up. Up, into outer space._

_Cid reached the corridor leading to the cockpit, where there were more workers just completing their final checks. The three men looked up as Cid approached, each with the same excited glow in their eyes and cheeks. Their hands were trembling with excitement as they all dropped their tools and ran to the Captain, gathering around him with large smiles on their faces._

"_Captain!" one of the men exclaimed. "Our dreams our finally coming true!"_

"_We are so proud to be part of the launch of Shinra No. 26," the second man said._

"_Captain, preparations are complete! All that's left is lift off!"_

_Hearing the words 'lift off', Cid felt his excitement rise again. Unfortunately for these men they would not be on board when Shinra No. 26 blasted off, but the mere pride of having worked on the rocket leading up to its launch was enough for them. As for him, he would be sitting in the cockpit watching the ground rush by. He would be the one to see the planet from miles above, amongst the stars._

"_Yeah!" he said, struggling to contain his eagerness. "Leave it all to me! I'll be back in a few!"_

_The three men all suddenly ran away from the Captain and stood against the walls of the corridor. Facing inwards they came to attention and saluted proudly. Cid stared at them for a second, before he began to march proudly down the centre of the line past the saluting men. He felt so proud and so exhilarated as he past them by. Nothing could possibly go wrong now._

"_All right, Captain!" the men all said in unison as they saluted him. "Fly our dreams into outer space!"_

"_Thanks, guys!" Cid stopped in front of the door leading into the cockpit, and turned back to the men. He blinked as though he had forgotten something, until he clicked his fingers and delved into his pocket. He pulled out a fresh back of cigarettes and quickly pushed them under the band of his goggles. Now everything was perfect._

"_We're praying for your safety!" the men added finally, just as Cid turned around and walked through the open door._

_Standing alone in the empty cockpit, Cid felt as though he was in space already. The cockpit was dark, quiet and serene, apart from the gentle hum of the engines below. He could feel them vibrating through the floor. Somehow those vibrations calmed his excited nerves. Or maybe he was just so excited that his senses were dimmed, making him appear calm and collected._

_The pilot seat was right ahead, positioned in front of the main control panel, awaiting him. That was his throne from which he would look down upon the planet. It was not a fancy chair, just plain metal, but to Cid it might as well have been made of pure, solid gold, sparkling in the twilight._

_The nervousness hit Cid as he slipped quietly into the chair and looked down at the control panel. This was really it. The moment was really arriving, at long last. His dream… it was finally coming true. He glanced down at his hand and saw that it was shaking from his excitement. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes, so he stilled his hand and quickly checked over the panel._

"_Instrument panel… all clear," Cid said, speaking into the open intercom and trying to control the anxious quiver in his voice. "Shinra No. 26, ready for launch."_

_He paused and took a breath, although when the intercom crackled and a voice spoke back to him, he tensed up again. "Engine pressure rising. Shinra No. 26, 3 minutes to launch. Beginning countdown."_

"……_Finally," said Cid. He leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling, taking deep, relaxing breaths to calm his nerves. Precision and timing was vital. All it took was one mistake and the launch would either end in disaster, or be cancelled completely. He couldn't wait another six months or so for this moment._

_He was just beginning to relax when the emergency lights suddenly came on, followed by the loud and angry whirr of the siren. Cid almost jumped out of his chair, gripping the arm rests tightly. "What the? What happened?" he cried. The intercom crackled again, and the panicked voice of the base control officer came through._

"_Cid! We have an emergency situation! A mechanic is still in the engine section of the rocket!"_


	13. Part 06: Chapter 13

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Cid almost jumped right out of his pilot seat. "What?" he raged, his voice clearly audible over the sirens. His pack of cigarettes slipped from under his goggles as he moved, and tumbled down onto the floor at his feet._

He almost asked the controller to repeat what he had said, because he couldn't believe what he had just heard. Right then, so close to the launch, everyone should have been evacuated from the rocket apart from himself. Cid couldn't believe someone would be stupid enough to remain inside the rocket when it was about to blast off. Cid shook his head and punched down on the intercom button. "Who is the little $?" he demanded angrily.

The intercom crackled again and the controller's voice came through. He sounded a little panicky as well. "I don't know," he replied. "Activating the intercom in the engine section." Cid tapped his fingers anxiously on the control panel, waiting for the red light signalling the connection to flash on.

* * *

Inside the engine room, Shera knelt down beside the oxygen tank and peered inside. No, it still wasn't right. No matter what she tried, the sealing door always remained open just a few millimetres. She had tried adjusting the door settings, manoeuvring the wires around, tightening the bolts and other things, but each time she repeated the simulation it always turned out the same as before… those same few millimetres that just refused to close. All the other doors were perfectly sealed, protecting the vital oxygen tanks inside. She sighed, frustrated, and wiped away the sweat on her forehead before picking up her wrench and attempting to tighten the bolts further.

When all the other mechanics and engineers had left the rocket, Shera had originally left with them. Still, the oxygen tanks had played on her mind, so while everyone was busy evacuating the rocket she had slipped back inside and continued her experiments. She was determined to fix the problem… even if it meant still being inside the rocket when it blasted off.

As she was busy working on the tank, the intercom speaker above the door crackled and came to life. Seconds later Cid's angry voice came booming into the engine room. "Hey goddammit!" his voice shouted. "Who the &$#'s still in there?"

Shera put down her wrench and stood up, looking up at the intercom. "It's Shera, Captain," she called up to him. "Don't mind me, go ahead with the launch."

She could hear Cid's voice splutter through the intercom. "Shera?" he called back, sounding even angrier than before. Not that Shera could blame him for sounding angry. She could picture him at the controls, gripping the panel in frustration, screaming down the microphone at her. "What are you still doin' in there?"

"I was still concerned," Shera replied to him calmly, in contrast to Cid's voice yelling at her. "The results of the oxygen tank test weren't satisfactory."

"You stupid little $#! It's gonna get so hot in there that there ain't gonna be SHIT left when we blast off!" Cid told her through the intercom. "You're gonna be burnt to a crisp! You're gonna die! You know that, doncha?"

Shera lowered her head and looked at the metal floor. She did know how hot the engine room was going to get during lift off, and that she would most likely die if she stayed in there. Yet somehow… in some weird way… she wasn't afraid of it. It wasn't that she was suicidal or anything like that. It was just that… as long as the launch was a success and Cid got to fulfil his dream and go up into outer space… then she didn't really mind sacrificing her life for it.

"I don't mind," she said, smiling softly. "If I can just fix this, the launch will be a success. I'm almost done." She turned back and knelt by the pod again, picking up her wrench and continuing the work she was desperate to finish. She didn't have much further to go to complete the work. She needed a little more time.

"Almost done?" Cid cried, unable to believe his ears. "You're gonna die!"

"Cid, we must start the countdown," came the controller's voice, also through the intercom like Cid's. "We won't make it if we don't."

* * *

"Starting engine!"

A loud rumble began to grow from deep within the rocket, rising up from the ground all the way up to the cockpit where Cid was glaring at the intercom. He exclaimed as he felt the strong vibrations of the engine shaking underneath his feet. Realising that control was serious about starting the countdown he frantically grabbed the microphone, nearly pulling it out of its stand.

"Hey, wait a minute!" he yelled. "Shera's still in here!"

"What are you going to do, Cid?" asked the controller. "If we cancel now, it'll be another six months until the next launch!"

Cid grunted loudly and pounded the edge of the control panel with his fist. The thud could barely be heard through the growing rumbles from the engine room. As they continued to grow Cid stared down at the control panel, watching as more buttons on the control panel began to light up as the rocket began to start up. He wished that Shera would hurry up and say she was finished, because if she didn't then Cid would have no choice but to cancel the launch. He didn't know if he could wait another six months for the next launch. But if he didn't cancel it then...

"GODDAMMIT, Shera… you wanna make me a murderer?"

"Captain!"

Cid hurriedly leapt up and grabbed the microphone again. "Shera?"

Shera's voice came crackling in through the intercom, heavy with static and barely audible through the loud rumbles coming from the engine room. "Tank Number 7 check is complete," came her meek voice. "Once I complete Tank Number 8, it's all clear."

"Come on, Shera…" Cid said quietly. "…Hurry up… You're gonna die…" He closed his eyes tightly, his hands trembling over the controls. He just didn't know what to do.

His anxiety wasn't helped when the intercom buzzed again, and controller's voice came through to him. "30 seconds until ignition. Beginning countdown. Cid! Forget about her. We won't make it in time."

Slowly Cid let himself sink back into his pilot seat, feeling the cold, harsh reality begin to sweep itself over him. He clutched onto his head and shook it fiercely, small specks of tears squeezing out from between his eyelids as he tugged the short lengths of his hair furiously.

Opening his eyes, Cid glanced over towards the control panel. Just by the intercom was a red button that was flashing brightly, standing out against the other buttons. The Emergency Shut Down switch – the only button that could cancel the launch. If he pushed that then Shera would be safe, but then the launch…

Cid lifted his head and shook it fiercely, tugging his hair even harder than before. "What… what am I… What am I supposed to do…?" he asked aloud. There was no one to answer him, and all he could do was sit and hope that by some miracle Shera would finish quickly and get out to safety.

"15 seconds until ignition. Internal temperature rising."

Cid could imagine what was happening in the engine room right then. Shera would still be at the oxygen tanks, beginning to sweat as the temperature from the engines began to rise. Pretty soon it would rise to unbearable temperatures, and Shera would start to suffocate from the heat, her body growing hot. She would be safe for a few seconds after lift off, before the burners kicked in and propelled the rocket up off the ground. Then the temperature would soar dramatically, and Shera would simply burn into a crisp… if anything would be left of her at all.

"Oh man," Cid groaned loudly, trying to get the image of Shera's struggling, burning form out of his mind. "The moon… outer space… my dreams…" The intercom crackled one final time, and the controller's voice came booming out.

"Ignite engine!"

It was in that split second that Cid finally made up his mind, bolting upright in his chair and pulling his goggles from his head. "SH------------IT!" he roared, and brought his fist firmly down on the flashing red button.

Just as he pushed the button a loud blast erupted around the base of the rocket. A wave of smoke and fire burst out from the engines, blowing out into the thin forest that surrounded the launch pad. The four metal pillars that held the rocket up released their latches and fell back, giving the rocket the space to launch. It did so, the large metal body slowly beginning to push up away from the ground, propelled by its powerful engines.

It probably got no more than fifteen metres off the ground before a loud droning sound could be heard from the engines, and then suddenly stopped. The smoke stopped flowing, and the rocket almost seemed to hover in the air over the launch pad. Then it began to fall.

It landed with a very loud and heavy thud that made the ground and the pillars shake violently. The gust it created as it landed sent the surrounding smoke spiralling into the forest, whipping between the trees until it gradually dispersed into the air.

There were a few moments of silence after the rocket landed, standing menacingly over the forest. When those few moments had passed a loud creaking noise could be heard, and the rocket slowly began to tilt over towards its side. It almost threatened to fall over onto the forest, but thankfully one of the metal pillars just stood in its way and caught the rocket as it tilted. It came to a stop, but was balanced so precariously that no doubt it would fall eventually.

A lot of time passed by, but no one ever bothered to take down Shinra No. 26. Even when all the trees were cut away, and houses and shops were built around it. The rocket still stood there, looming over the town, still threatening to fall. That was how the town of Rocket Town was born.

* * *

Shera folded her arms tightly against her chest, a small tear forming in her eye at the memory of that day. "He pushed the Emergency Shut Down switch, aborting the mission, to save my life," she said. "After that, the Space Program was cut back and the launch was cancelled. It's my fault his dream was destroyed…" The tear fell and rolled down her cheek, and she hurriedly wiped it away with her sleeve. "That's why… it's all right. I don't care what the Captain says. I'll live my life for him."

It was indeed a very moving story, and certainly touched the hearts of everyone standing in the living room. Only Yuffie seemed unaffected by the story, for she had chosen to ignore Shera's story and was busy snooping around the rest of the house with interest. She was searching for materia no doubt, and had no time for petty stories that held no moral for her. Shera spotted some tear water on her glasses, and pulled them off to wipe them dry.

While Yuffie was busy looking around the corridor leading to the backyard the door suddenly burst open. She leapt back as it slammed against the wall and Cid came strolling in, flicking a cigarette out of the door as he came in. As he entered the living room he looked around for a second, before glaring at poor Shera angrily.

"Shera! You still haven't served 'em tea!"

"I… I'm sorry," Shera apologised quickly. She pushed her glasses hurriedly back on her face and turned back to the boiling kettle and beginning to pour the hot water into the mugs, along with the milk. Soon the smell of piping hot tea filled the house.

No one said anything as she worked. They were remembering the story Shera had told them, and slowly beginning to understand why Shera never said anything about the Captain's aggressive behaviour. Now they could understand why Cid seemed so angry about everything, and it certainly explained his behaviour towards Shera. Still… it seemed a bit too harsh, as Red XIII had said.

While Shera hurried about finishing the tea and handing out the few mugs that were ready, Cid walked over and sat at the table. He tapped his fingers irritably against the wood, tapping out a faint but catchy tune. He stopped tapping long enough to look up at Cloud and the others. "Hurry up and sit down!" he commanded. "Or ain't my hospitality good enough for you?"

At his command the others immediately sat down. Yuffie moved first, forgoing anxiety and leaping straight into another chair at the table. Aeris and Tifa sat with her, sipping their mugs of tea meekly without a word. There were no other chairs so the others had no choice but to stand, but Cid never said anything more to them.

After a moment or two, Cid pushed back his chair and leaned back. He brought his feet up and placed them on the table, tapping them gently in place of his fingers. He checked his watch again and grunted loudly. "They're late…" he grumbled. "Where is Rufus…?" No one replied to him. They just sat silently, slowly drinking their tea.

At that moment there was a loud knock on the front door, before it burst open and a man in a yellow suit came strolling in. Everyone recognised him instantly. They remembered his bulbous figure back in Midgar, in the President's office after his assassination. It was Palmer, the man in charge of Shinra's Space Program.

"Hey-HEY!" Palmer said loudly, brushing rudely past Cloud and Barret into the living room. "Long time no see! So Cid, how ya been?"

Looking up, Cid swung his legs off the table and stood up in a single, fluid motion. He now blanked the others and ran over to Palmer, looking him briefly up and down. "Well, if it ain't fat man, Palmer," he said gruffly. "How longer were you figurin' on keepin' me waitin'? So? When's the Space Program gonna start up again?"

"Hey-hey! I don't know!" Palmer said hurriedly, waving his arms rapidly in front of him. He then stopped and pointed outside the front door. "The President's outside, so why don't you ask him?"

Cid's face crunched up into an expression of fury, and his right eyebrow twitched as he glared angrily at Palmer. "$#&!" he spat. "Good for nothing, fat &$#$!" He pushed Palmer aside, grabbed his spear, and ran out of the door. Palmer waved his arms about frantically as he tried to stop himself from spinning into the door. When he stopped spinning he turned towards the door, his fist shaking angrily.

"Don't say 'fat'!" he shouted, but Cid was already gone. He sighed heavily and looked inattentively around the room. His eyes passed over Cloud and the others without a flicker of recognition, and settled on the kettle that was still steaming behind Shera. He ran over to her "Hey-hey! Tea!" he exclaimed. "Can I have some too? With lotsa sugar and honey and… oh yeah, don't forget the lard!" He licked his lips dreamily, despite the horrified and sickened gazes of Cloud and his group around him.

While Shera began to brew up Palmer's very odd idea of tea, Cloud put down his own mug and sidled over towards the door. In his rush Cid had left the door slightly open, and he could see out into the town. Cloud pressed himself against the wall and peeked through the small crack, careful not to be seen.

He could see Cid easily, standing with his back to them in the middle of the town. President Rufus was in front of him, talking to Cid about something that Cloud couldn't hear just yet. There was also a single blue-uniformed soldier nearby, staying close to Rufus. That struck Cloud as odd, but then Rufus probably didn't suspect that Cloud and the others were already in Rocket Town, and didn't need more guards.

Cloud dared to open the door a little more and look a little further, trying to make out what they were saying. Meanwhile the others in the house were all silent, listening and watching Cloud carefully. Cloud wondered when Cid was going to find out that the Space Program wasn't restarting. He soon got his answer.

"What the……!" came Cid's surprised and angry voice, now lifted so Cloud and everyone in the house could easily hear him. "You got me all excited for nothing? Then, what'd you come here for?"

"I want to borrow the Tiny Bronco," Rufus replied, much more calmly, seeming unfazed by Cid's angry shouts. "We're going after Sephiroth. But seems like we've been going in the wrong direction. But now, we think we know where he's headed. But, we have to cross the ocean. That's why we want your plane…"

"&#!" Cid cursed, his fists tightly clenched and shaking. "First the airship, then the Rocket, and now, the Tiny Bronco. Shinra took outer space away from me and now you want to take the sky away from me, too?"

Rufus shook his head pitifully, and moved a strip of blond hair from his eyes. "Oh my…" he said. "You seem to forget that it was because of Shinra, Inc. that you were able to fly in the first place."

"What?" Cid raged. His fists were twitching, trying to hold back the urge to land a furious blow on the smug young man's face. With the guard nearby he couldn't do anything, so he just had to contain his anger.

While this conversation was going on, Cloud continued to watch from the crack in the door. Although he could hear Cid's voice easily he couldn't hear Rufus very well, and couldn't make out what the President was saying. He got the impression that Rufus was also after the Tiny Bronco, judging from Cid's outraged cries. He was interrupted from his watch when a hand gently patted him on the shoulder, and a nervous-looking Shera gazed at him.

"Uh, excuse me… This way…" she said, motioning Cloud back inside the house. Cloud complied, shutting the door behind him and following Shera back into the living room. "You wanted to use the Tiny Bronco, right?" she asked him. Cloud nodded. "I believe Palmer's going to take it. Why don't you talk to him?"

Everyone jumped and looked around the room. Sure enough, Palmer was gone, his estranged mug of tea still sitting on the worktop. No one had noticed him slip away – they had been far too busy listening to Cid outside to notice. They almost kicked themselves for their stupidity, but there was no time for that. They needed to stop Palmer from taking the Tiny Bronco.

They ran through the back door and into the yard where the Tiny Bronco was resting. Sure enough Palmer was there, climbing over the plane's ample frame, messing around with the controls and muttering to himself.

"Hmm… Why do I have to do this…? I'm the head of the Space Program…"

"We'll be takin' that Tiny Bronco," said Cloud.

Palmer froze, his fingers hovering above the controls. Slowly he turned around and saw Cloud and the rest of the group gathered around the plane, looking up at him. Palmer's eyes squinted as he looked back down at them, and for the first time the faint flickers of recognition slowly began to appear on his rounded face.

"I've seen you somewhere before…" he said, unsurely. He stared at Cloud and Barret a few seconds more, scratched his head, and then clicked his fingers. "I know! The Shinra building! When the President was killed!" He suddenly froze again as the full memory came back to him in a flash. "Ulp! Se…se…security!"

Of course no one was there to answer him. Realising this, Palmer instead reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small gun that had been hidden in his inside pocket. Cloud recognised it as a Mako gun – a gun that utilised the power of Mako. The Mako energy within it was not as condensed as Materia, and flowed freely to create magical waves of fire, ice or even sometimes lightning.

Without even a consideration for where he was aiming, Palmer pointed the gun down and fired. A stream of Mako energy came pouring from the tip of the gun, firing out in a long, continual stream. Red XIII and Vincent both jumped aside as the stream struck the ground between them. It burned a searing hole into the ground and the smell of burning grass lifted up into the air.

Running forward, Cloud drew his sword and leapt up into the air. He swung the blade with all his might, and as it swung a thin shield of flames swept across the metal. Palmer jumped aside just in time, but the flames singed at least a few of the grey-white hairs on his head and made him cry out.

Palmer then darted across the top of the Tiny Bronco, rubbing his head and calling out curses as he ran. His extra weight jumping about the plane made it shake and tilt from side to side, and because of his attack Cloud was in a precarious position, and was finding it hard to keep his balance. He eventually lost the battle for balance and fell forward onto the plane's controls, his hand accidentally falling on the switch-on button.

All at once the plane came to life. The engine gave a loud chug-chug as it coughed into life, before settling into a gentle rhythmic motion. The propellers on the plane's wings slowly began to turn, gradually picking up speed. Thankfully they were slow to warm up, and it would be about a minute or more before they picked up enough speed to take off.

Meanwhile Palmer had jumped off the plane, and was now locked in a fierce battle with Aeris and Tifa. Aeris raised her staff and swung it out in front of her, aiming for Palmer's head. She missed his head as he dodged, but with his arm raised she managed to knock the Mako gun from his hands, and fell down to the floor, skidding out of harm's way.

With his weapon now gone Palmer turned away, only to remember that Tifa was standing behind him. The young woman grabbed hold of Palmer's shoulders and pulling him towards her. She gave him an almighty kick in his solar plexus, which made him choke and groan loudly. She didn't stop there and lifted him straight up, giving him two sharp punches in his round face. Then she let him go, and Palmer went rolling to the floor. Incidentally, right by his Mako gun. And Vincent.

While Palmer was busy struggling with Vincent and Barret over possession of the Mako gun, Yuffie quickly darted around the side of the house, remembering something she had seen while she had been exploring the town earlier (she didn't just go to explore the Materia Shops!). She leaped past the battle and skidded round the corner, her crafty eyes lighting up as she saw that it was still there.

The Mako gun went flying through the air, and a single bullet from Vincent's expertly held pistol ended its usefulness. Palmer cried out in dismay as his beloved weapon and his last line of defence came crashing to the ground in pieces, the Mako energy slowly spilling onto the ground.

Palmer sagged heavily, realising that he was beaten. Looking up he saw the others standing in a line in front of him with stern looks on their faces. Suddenly Palmer pointed up behind them and cried out, and when they all looked they also cried out and quickly ducked down to the ground.

The wing of the plane passed slowly overhead, casting a dark shadow over them as it passed. Palmer also had to duck down to avoid the wing and its lethal propellers, but as it passed by he saw his chance to escape. While the others were busy climbing to their feet he jumped up and fled, darting across the backyard.

He didn't get very far. As he was running the roar of another engine came to life, and a dark green blur suddenly came zooming out of the driveway. Palmer had no chance to stop or dodge the truck as it came past. He was slammed into the side of the truck and bounced straight off, rolling across the grass until he slumped into an unconscious heap in the bushes. Behind the wheel Yuffie grinned happily, smug and self-satisfied that she had been able to injure a member of the Shinra.

She was a little miffed when no one praised her for her efforts, until she realised that everyone was gathered around the Tiny Bronco. By now the plane's propellers were spinning wildly, and already the plane was slowly beginning to fight and tug to get off the ground.

Aeris climbed up alongside Cloud and looked down at the controls. The propellers were moving so fast now that they created a strong updraft that blew Aeris's hair all around her face, and she could barely see the controls. Everything looked so complicated that she had no idea which button to press in order to get the plane to stop, and the propellers weren't about to slow down, either. "It won't stop!" she shouted to Cloud over the roar of the propellers.

"It's going to take off," said Red XIII.

Cloud shook his head. "Forget it!" he said, his voice barely audible. "Get in!"

Everyone obeyed and jumped onto the plane, just as it began to tug a little more and attempted to rise off the ground. Yuffie made it only just in time, diving from the truck and grabbing into the edge of the wing, just as it began to finally rise into the air, carrying Cloud and the others with it.

The plane moved forward and rose steadily off the ground. It just missed hitting the back fence and rose higher and further, slowly pulling away from Cid's house. A strong gust of wind turned the abandoned lever to the left, and the plane complied in turn. It swiftly rose up and spun round, narrowly missing the tilting rocket as it headed back into Rocket Town.

Down on the ground, Cid and Rufus looked up in amazement as the Tiny Bronco came swerving around the rocket. Someone must have pressed on the lever again, for the plane came swooping down towards the ground. It narrowly missed Rufus and his guard and zoomed steadily past. Cid looked around for a second before he pushed past the soldier and began to run rapidly after the plane.

Cloud turned around on the plane and looked down at Cid running after the plane. He wished he could slow the plane down a bit and get him on board, but the Shinra soldier was now firing at them and they couldn't afford to slow down. Besides, he didn't know which button it was anyway, and the plane was picking up speed.

As it turned out, he didn't need to know anyway. With the plane still trying to gain speed Cid was catching up to them, although soon the plane would be moving too fast for him to catch up. As he neared the tail end of the plane he jumped with all his might and grabbed onto the end of the wing. He held on with all his strength as the plane began to rise again, picking up in speed.

The Shinra soldier continued to fire, even as the plane began to rise and head speedily out of his sight. He must have had either good sight or excellent aim, for the next bullet he fired went zipping through the air and struck the tail end of the plane, cutting a giant hole in the tail. The plane shuddered violently and dropped about a metre out of the air, smoke pouring from the tail.

"Shit! The tail's been hit!" Cid shouted, glancing back at the smoking tail.

"Emergency landing…" said Cloud.

Cid nodded and turned back to the front of the plane, gripping onto the frame. "This's gonna be a big splash," he warned them all. "Hold onto your drawers and don't piss in 'em!"

The plane's engine chugged again and dropped another metre out of the air, before it very slowly began to descend. Looking ahead they could see the ocean of the west part of the continent, which meant they were going to crash in the ocean for sure. They passed by the shore and continued to descend, heading straight for the water.

As Cid warned it was a big splash. The plane landed in the water and almost bounced off the top, as though it was a stone that had been skidded across the top of a smooth, calm lake. But this was no lake and certainly wasn't smooth. A spray over water came pounding up the side the plane, sending cold droplets down onto the group as they struggled to hold onto the plane, holding onto anything they could to stop themselves from falling and drowning in the water.

The crash wasn't as bad as they had feared. Although the plane landed heavily it stayed above the water and did not sink, and even as the roar of the splashing water died down they could still hear the faint chug of the engine, showing that the plane was still usable. Although, there was one thing.

"She won't fly anymore," Cid said, disappointed. He ran his hand through the water, feeling the gaping hole in the tail wing, which was half submerged in water. They needed the tail wing to fly, and without that, the Tiny Bronco would never make it off the ground without crashing again.

Cloud sighed heavily. That was a huge blow to them, but not a completely disadvantageous one. They had wanted to use the Tiny Bronco because of its ability to fly, but as he looked around at the plane, he had another idea. "Can't we use it as a boat?" he asked curiously.

"$&!" Cid cursed. "Do whatever you want."

Cloud looked round at the others. They all felt a little guilty about the way things had turned out, especially for Cid. The Tiny Bronco had meant so much to him, and now because of them and the Shinra, it had been taken away from him.

"Cid, what are you going to do?" he asked.

Cid pulled his hand up from the water and sat up on the edge of the plane, thinking it over. "Dunno," he admitted finally. "I'm history with the Shinra and I've given up on the town."

"How 'bout your wife? How 'bout Shera?"

"Wife?" Cid spat, choking back a laugh. "Don't make me laugh! Just thinkin' 'bout marryin' her gives me the chills. What're you guys gonna do?"

"We're going after a man named Sephiroth," Cloud explained. "We'll have to get Rufus of the Shinra someday too."

Cid stared at Cloud, wondering if he was serious. When he saw Cloud's expression didn't change and he realised he was, he said, "I don't know about any of that, but…" He closed his eyes in thought for a second, before he stood up, grabbed his spear and put it firmly over his shoulder. "What the hell? Sign me up!"

Cloud couldn't help but smile a little. He somehow figured that Cid would say that. Still, he needed approval from the others to make it official. "How 'bout it, everyone?" he asked, waiting for their answer.

One by one the others looked round at each other. Then Aeris stood up on the plane, making it rock a little, and said, "I'm all for it!" The others then slowly nodded their own approval, and it was then that it became official.

Cid smirked proudly. "Glad to be aboard, numbskulls!" he said.

Cloud tilted his head. "Numskulls…?" he asked.

Cid nodded. "Yeah. Anyone stupid enough to go up against Shinra nowadays has GOTTA be a numskull! I like it! So, where we headed? Rufus was goin' after Sephiroth towards the Temple of the Ancients."

"Really…?" Cloud exclaimed, almost falling from the plane and into the water. "…Where is it? That Temple of the Ancients?"

Cid thought carefully for a moment, before he finally shrugged. "Dunno," he said. "That numskull kid was tellin' me he was headin' 'the wrong direction'." He pointed out in the direction they were facing, towards the west. "…So maybe it's off this way?"

Cloud turned around and looked out at the ocean. There was another continent visible in the distance, probably no more than an hour's ride from their current location. And they still had a good few hours of daylight left, so they wouldn't need to worry about travelling at night. Still…

"Let's just head for land and get some information," he suggested. "Temple of the Ancients… That name bothers me."

* * *

**End of Part: 06**

Next part: Part 07: Treachery


	14. Part 07: Chapter 14

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

_Hello, people! Up to Chapter 14 already. I just realised that I've spent over a year working on this fic! And I have no intention of stopping until it is 100 complete! I've been considering starting to write a novelisation of Final Fantasy 8 or even Kingdom Hearts alongside this one, but I doubt I will. I still have Desperate Desire to finish, and my friend ShadowYami is bugging me to carry on with Chain of Hearts as well. Plus my own novel… I'm up to my ears in writing._

_Anyway, I just wanted you all to know that there will be a fair bit of originality in this chapter, so no one asks 'how do you get that scene?' and such. I also have to do some script searching, because I realised I don't have the bit where Yuffie goes up and fights her father, and I am including that bit in this part. Partially to get a new summon, but mostly because it will lengthen the Wutai section a little and I really like Yuffie's character. Well, on with the fic!_

* * *

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Part Seven: Treachery**

**Chapter Fourteen**

A whole hour passed by before they finally reached land again, touching the shores of the far western continent. The plane slowed and got stuck in the sand close to the shore, so Barret, Cloud and Cid had to jump out into the surf and drag the plane up onto the beach. They dragged the plane as high up as they could so that the tide would not drag it back out to see after it came in. After all, they didn't want to be stranded on this new continent.

While the plane was being pulled up onto the beach Aeris walked away from the group and strolled leisurely across the sand. The ocean's tide came up close to her boots as she walked and she could feel the spray of the waves against her face and arms, blown up by the breeze.

She stopped next to a gathering of large rocks piled up alongside a small cliff. They seemed fairly stable, so Aeris placed her staff down on the ground and began to climb. She climbed carefully, placing one boot in front of the other and grasping onto the jutting out rocks for balance. When she finally reached the topmost rock she sat down, and looked out into the distance.

It was an absolutely beautiful view. She could see the ocean for miles around, as well as the faint line of the other continent at the top of the horizon. That land seemed to stretch out to the left as far as she could see, and she wondered where it ended. She believed she could even see the tower of Cosmo Canyon – but that could easily have been another mountain.

Breathing in Aeris felt her lungs fill full of fresh sea air. The salty taste woke her senses and pushed away the fatigue and stress of their journey. She could hear nothing but the ocean crashing loudly against the rocks, sending clouds of spray up into the air. One particularly large wave hit the rock in front of her, and spray flew up and fell down over her. It was cool against her skin, and as she opened her eyes and watched the spray fall, she could think of no better moment than this. Moments like these were what she treasured the most, and she wanted to just get lost in the moment. She almost did, until she looked down at the rocks beside her.

"Oh! Yuffie!"

Yuffie was standing on the sand next to Aeris's staff. She seemed startled when Aeris called out to her and looked up in surprise, before a cheerful smile spread on the ninja's face. She gave Aeris a little wave before jumping expertly across the rocks to where Aeris was sitting. Aeris shifted over a little as Yuffie jumped up to her, and the youthful ninja sat herself down on the rock.

"It's a nice alcove, isn't it?" Yuffie said, sounding somewhat serious for the first time.

Aeris nodded. "Yes, it is," she replied. "When I was in Midgar, I remember reading about places like this, but I never thought I'd actually get to see them." She pulled her knees up to her chest and leaned her head back, eyes closed, as though she was listening quietly to something. "I wonder what they call this place…?"

"The Mountains of the Korei no Senshi."

Aeris opened her eyes and looked at Yuffie. "Hmm?" she said.

Yuffie sighed heavily and slowly climbed to her feet, looking out at the clear blue ocean. "The mountains, and the land surrounding them, are known as the Mountains of the Korei no Senshi, or 'Mountains of the Ancient Warriors'," she said. She put her arms behind her back and began to walk slowly across the rock. "All the powerful ninja's of Wutai fought here in the past. They fought here to protect Wutai-" She stopped suddenly and turned back to Aeris, blushing. "Or so I've heard."

Aeris was about to ask Yuffie a little more about what she meant, but as she was about to speak she heard Cloud's voice calling out to them above the waves. She looked past Yuffie's shoulder and saw Cloud with all the others. They were standing away from the beach now, at the entrance to a steep and rocky path leading up to the top of the first cliff. Cloud waved at them, signalling for them to hurry up.

"We're coming!" Yuffie called back. She looked back at Aeris and winked, before she turned away and jumped down off the rocks in one long leap. She landed perfectly on the ground and darted off to the others, back to her usual hyper nature.

When Aeris had finished carefully climbing down the rocks and caught up to the others, they headed on up the path. It was much steeper than they first thought, so they took their time and headed up steadily so they wouldn't tire. Even so it wasn't long until their muscles were burning from the effort of walking, and had to slow down even more.

They walked almost in single file, with Cloud and Red XIII leading the way while Yuffie and Cait were lagging behind at the back. Cait was the furthest back – his Mog body finding it difficult to manoeuvre across the rocks. He had to go really slow and walk around the bigger ridges, and spent a lot of time fiddling with his controls and muttering to himself.

Eventually Cloud and Red XIII reached the top of the path and stepped onto the cliff. Up here the air was cooler and much breezier, and ruffled Red XIII's fur. The hound opened his mouth wide and flared his nostrils. Like that he was able to catch almost every scent that the wind brought with it – mostly the scent of the ocean and the mountains around them. One by one the others caught up to them and stood on the top of the cliff, looking around.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wa---------it!"

Everyone turned around in surprise as Yuffie came running up the mountain path. At first they thought she was being chased by a monster, until they saw that there was nothing following her. Yuffie used the scattered rocks on the ground to jump her way around the group, before finally landing in front of them. She stood firm and spread her arms wide, preventing them from going any further.

"Wh, wh, what is it, all of a sudden?" Cait said, flailing his arms as he tried to keep his Mog body from falling over onto its back. "Don't scare me like that!"

"What the…?" said Tifa, catching her breath. "Did something happen?"

Yuffie shook her head. She then pointed to the path behind her, where the rocky cliff stopped and an old wooden bridge crossed the gap. "I know this area pretty well," she informed them. "It gets pretty tough past here. Better get ready…"

Silence greeted her words. The group slowly looked from one to the other, not entirely convinced by Yuffie's words. The disbelief showed on their faces, and when the eventually turned back to Yuffie, Tifa folded her arms.

"…Really?" she asked. She looked closely at Yuffie's face, trying to find any signs of deception in the mischievous ninja's eyes. Although there were no signs, she still wasn't convinced. "Something's telling me I still shouldn't trust you. Are you thinking of tricking us again…?"

She was of course referring to the day that they first encountered Yuffie, in the forests just outside of Junon. She had managed to trick them then and stole their materia, until they finally caught her and got it back. Even after all this time they still found themselves holding shreds of doubt about Yuffie's true intentions.

Yuffie stared at them in what looked like surprise and shock, and she shook her head fiercely. "No!" she protested. "It's REALLY tough…" She tried her best to look as earnest as she could, trying her hardest to convince them. It almost worked, until…

"There they are, catch 'em!"

Cloud looked up. His eyes widened as he saw two Shinra soldiers running across the bridge towards them, their rifles at the ready. Before anyone had a chance to move or realise what was happening the soldiers had run up and surrounded them. They raised their rifles and aimed at the group.

"Shinra?" Cloud exclaimed.

"It's Shinra!" shouted Red XIII at the same time, snarling loudly.

The two soldiers stood firm, the barrels of their guns held steady as they gazed slowly upon the nine people in front of them. None of the nine moved. They didn't even dare reach towards their weapons in case the soldiers chose to open fire on them. The soldiers gazed from one person to the other. "Hey, that's not them!" one of them said finally. "These are the other guys from before!"

While all this was going on, Yuffie was hopping frantically from one foot to the other. Her face was pale and she looked extremely anxious, as though she had been caught out. Tifa saw the nervous look in the young girl's eyes and gasped, realising the truth. "Yuffie, you're not……!"

"So what does this mean…" said Vincent calmly, his hand slowly twitching towards his gun. He turned his red eyes over to Yuffie, giving her a frightful glance. "You will explain this later…"

Yuffie stopped hopping and stared, confused. Then she realised what they were suggesting and she jumped fiercely. "I didn't know!" she protested, desperate to prove her innocence to them. "I have nothing to do with this one!" Suddenly she clamped her hands over her mouth, realising that she had made a fateful mistake. She was much too late, for everyone had heard her.

"Whaddaya mean 'this one'?" Barret demanded furiously. He ignored the soldiers and raised his gun-arm, pointing the barrel straight towards Yuffie. "'This one'! So you WERE plannin' somethin'!" He cocked the barrel of his gun.

"No, umm, uh……" Yuffie stammered fearfully. She bit hard on her tongue, deciding that maybe silence was better than trying to explain.

The two Shinra soldiers continued to stand and stare at the group in front of them, unsure of what they should do. Even though this wasn't the group they had been sent out to get, they did know that Shinra wanted them as well. One of the soldiers turned to his comrade. "What should we do?" he asked.

"Uh…" the second soldier said, unsure. He thought for a second, before he nodded and turned back to the first soldier. "Get them! Grab them and ask questions later!" He then darted forward, gun at the ready, set to capture them.

He knew from the very start that it was futile trying to capture them. They were a group of nine, and his group consisted of only two soldiers. They were heavily outnumbered. Even so, orders were orders and he didn't dare to disobey Heidegger or President Rufus.

Sure enough, as he approached Cloud and the others the tables turned in their favour, and the group took advantage of the situation. The soldiers fired too late – the group were right up close and their rifles were useless. Weapons were drawn and zipped past at amazing speeds, and the loud clash of metal striking more metal could be heard. Seconds later two rifles were flung into the air and fell to the ground, crashing and clattering on the rock.

Those rifles were quickly followed by the bodies of the two Shinra soldiers, both of them unconscious and their helmets covered in dents. They weren't dead, but they would surely wake up in a few hours with terrible headaches.

With the two soldiers safely dealt with and unconscious, Tifa put her hands on her hips and turned back to the others, her face angry. "What's going on?" she demanded. "I thought something was fishy…" She stretched her arms out in front of her, and something caught her eye. Normally the materia slots around her gloves were full, but as she stretched she saw that every one of the slots were empty. "My, my materia is missing!" she exclaimed in horror.

At that point everyone started checking their weapons and armour, and at the same time they all realised that every single piece of materia they owned was missing. Every summon, every magic, every support… every single ball of materia had been smoothly taken from their slots, and were nowhere to be seen. Pockets were checked and the ground was searched, but it was no use. The materia was gone.

"Hey…" Aeris said suddenly. "Where's Yuffie…?"

It was a very good question. Everyone looked around again, this time looking for Yuffie. When the battle had started they had been a group of nine. Now that the battle was over, they were left with just eight people. She must have run off at the start of the battle, using the soldiers as a diversion so she could escape.

It was then that the final pieces slipped into place, and they understood everything. The way Yuffie had been hanging around by Aeris's staff back at the alcove, and the way she had jumped around everyone before stopping them. She must have been stealing the last of the materia then. And now she had run off – taking the materia with her.

"She's done it to us again!" Tifa shouted angrily, stamping her foot hard on the ground. She was furious that Yuffie had managed to trick them out of their materia for a second time. "I'm never gonna forgive her! She was after our materia from the beginning. I won't let her get away with it! I'm pretty sure she ran off North. Let's go after her!"

She looked back at Cloud, who nodded. The materia was an important part of their equipment – they couldn't let Yuffie take them just like that. They had no choice but to go after her. Cloud turned and nodded at the others, and then together they all began to run off to the north, in the hopes that they were following the same path as Yuffie.

* * *

"Yuffie! YUFFIE!" 

There was no answer to their calls, but then again they didn't really expect an answer. It wasn't as though Yuffie was going to come out of her own free will and hand herself over to them. When they first set off, they didn't think Yuffie could have gotten away so quickly. Yet the mountains were vast, winding, and there were many little crevices and hidden paths that Yuffie could probably use to evade them. And the longer they searched, the harder it would be to find her.

Unlike the other continents they had visited, which were covered in vast plains of grass and wild monsters, this continent was covered seemingly from head to foot with tall, rocky hills and small cliffs. There were wild monsters; they could see the oversized Bizarre Bugs nesting in the darker crevices, ready to lash out when anyone came near. At any rate, the Bizarre Bugs would probably only attack them if they split up, so as long as they stayed together the monsters would most likely leave them alone.

"This is hopeless!" said Tifa, kicking at the rocks. She ran her hands through her hair and tugged hard, her body pushed to the breaking point in her anger. When she was finished pulling her hair she spun around to face the others, who were all sitting on rocks behind her. "She could be absolutely anywhere by now!"

Red XIII stretched out on the rock he was lying on and put his head on his paws. "I caught her scent a little while ago when we crossed the bridges," he said. "But after that her scent vanished. I cannot smell her at all now." He snorted loudly and put a paw over his face.

"Well, we can't give up!" Tifa replied obstinately. She clenched her fists tightly. "That's OUR materia. She had no right to steal it."

Cid was leaning against a rocky wall right then, twirling his spear loosely in his hands. "Ain't no chance of finding her now," he said. "That kid's slippery as an eel. She's probably far away from here by now." He glanced down at the ground next to him, and suddenly thrust his spear down.

The sharp blade pierced the hard outer shell of the Bizarre Bug with a loud crack, going straight to the vulnerable inner parts of the oversized insect. The bug squealed and shuffled for a second, until its legs crumpled up and its antennae fell limp. Seconds later the insect shuddered again and its body turned black and charred as though it was burning from the inside. Then, before their eyes, the Bizarre Bug began to crumble apart and disintegrate, its body turning into dust. Cid lifted his spear and twirled it in his hands once again. "Or lost," he added gruffly.

Aeris lowered her head, thinking back to when she and Yuffie were sitting on the rock in the alcove. The way Yuffie had spoken and the fact that she knew the area… did that mean something? "I don't think she's lost," she said. "I think Yuffie lives around here." She looked up. "That's why she knows the area. She must do."

"We won't give up just yet," Cloud said firmly. "It's still a few hours before dark. We'll find her." He then stood up and walked a few paces away, before he stopped and looked to his left, towards the mountains.

Just beneath the mountain was a short rocky ledge (short compared to the mountains, anyway). It seemed to come away from the mountain and came forward in a sort of fold, overlapping part of the mountain. Where Cloud was he could see just behind that fold, and after taking a few more paces forward Cloud could see what it was.

It was another bridge, just like the two they had to cross over in order to get to where they were in the first place. Like the other bridges this one was aged and was missing a few planks here and there, and sloped upwards to another rocky ledge that disappeared over its horizon, meaning it swept back down again. Until then the fold of rock had hidden the bridge from view, but now it was visible.

"There are still a few places we haven't looked yet," he said, glancing at the others. He then pointed to the rocky fold and the bridge beyond, and the others came and stood behind him. They all stared at the bridge for a second, and then they all began to head towards it.

They passed the rocky fold and walked carefully across the rickety old bridge, until they eventually stood on the top of the rocky ledge beyond enough. As they had thought the ledge sloped steadily down towards the land that made up the rest of the new continent.

The last part of the continent varied compared to the rest of it. Up until then all they had seen was a dry rocky land and mountains on all sides, but as the ledge swept downwards that rocky ground became more scattered as grass grew. Eventually the rock disappeared altogether, leaving behind another vast, grassy plain for them to cross. Although it was a disappointment to see grassy plains again, it was a relief to be out of the mountains at last.

Cloud stepped forward away from the others and put his hands above his eyes, shielding them from the bright afternoon sun, and looked around. There was still no sign of Yuffie, nor any sign that she had been here. However there was one promising sign not too far from where they were. A number of small structures dotted the ground, as well as one very large structure he couldn't see well.

"…A village?" he said aloud. "And… A mountain? I wonder… Is that where Yuffie is?"

* * *

**Emerald:** And so ends that bit of originality. I tried to keep in character as best I could – I hope it works. I just wanted something to fill this bit out a bit. Hope you don't mind. Back to script work in the next chapter! 


	15. Part 07: Chapter 15

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Fifteen**

It felt like stepping into a different world passing through the gates of Wutai. It was as though they had left behind a world of grassy plains and wild, threatening monsters, and instead had entered a dimension that was calm and tranquil. It was an absolutely beautiful village, unlike anything they had ever seen before. It also carried with it an air of mystery and seclusion, seeming as though the wheels of time had stopped completely to keep this village in its beautiful, picturesque state.

They could tell right away that it was a ninja town. The houses were large and hut-like, built mainly of wood that was painted shades of red and grey. The double doors were also made of wood and slid open, with thin but strong sheets of paper in place of windows. The roofs were made of black wood and were specially built so that the curled slightly inwards and upwards to a point, in true oriental style.

Looking at the few people that were wandering around, it was also possible to tell that this was Yuffie's home. The style of clothing was pretty much the same – tight and free of restriction so they could grab their weapons at the first sign of trouble. There were also the telltale signs of a number of shuriken's close to the hands of the people, although of many different designs.

Running all the way through the village was a beautiful stream, filled with crystal clear water that carried a glorious blue shimmer to it, enhanced by the late afternoon sun. The water sparkled in such a way that it seemed as though the stars were shining in the water, their twinkling light reflected within the depths of the water. Floating on the lightly rippling surface was a number of flat green leaves, and a number of water lilies floated luxuriously alongside them.

Cloud and the others came to a stop and looked around at the beautiful village, their eyes wide in awe. It truly felt like another world or a different time, and they were the invaders, intruding on their peaceful land.

There was a lot more to see on the outskirts of the town. A large cluster of trees – tall and green, surrounded the back end of the town. Yet there was something else rising up out of the forest, even taller than the trees. It was a tall pagoda, with five levels packed one on top of the other, like a guard tower overlooking the town.

What stood out the most, however, was the tall, rising cliff that bordered the northern part of the town. They only glanced at it briefly right then, but what they did see was a large statue carved into the side of the cliff. It was the statue of an ancient figure, a man, with many arms pointing in many directions; surrounded by the faces and figures of others.

"Hey!"

The group all turned and looked across the wooden bridge that crossed the stream. Yuffie was there, standing in front of a shop that had the sign 'Weapon Store' written in big, black, fancy lettering on the front. Yuffie waved at them, grinning, and then delved into her pocket. She took out one of the balls of materia she had stolen and waved it about in the air as though taunting them, before she placed it back in her pocket, turned away, and ran off again.

Cloud and the group followed as quickly as they could, running across the bridge towards the Weapon Store. Even as they ran the villagers made no move to help them – they just watched and simply stepped out of the way as they ran past. It made sense: they would never catch one of their own.

They lost sight of Yuffie after she crossed the second bridge, jumping around rapidly and then suddenly disappearing, just like that. Cloud's group crossed the bridge as well and came to a stop just in front of another shop. They looked around, but there was no sign of the girl. All they could see was the shop they were stood in front of, another shop across a third bridge, and a few wandering villagers. They thought they had lost the girl for good, until they heard a faint noise behind them.

Cloud spun around just in time to see the wooden doors of the shop behind them slowly slide shut. Without even waiting to think about whether it WAS Yuffie who had shut the doors, Cloud stormed over and pushed them open again, barging straight into the shop with the sign 'Turtle Paradise' above it. Then he stopped and stared straight ahead.

He had barged straight into the local bar, and the moment he had entered his eyes had fallen on the table nearest to the door, and in particular the three people that were sat there. Those blue suits… the blonde-haired woman, the red-headed man, and the bald man… The Turks!

Hearing the doors slam open, Elena put down her drink and turned her head. Her eyes landed straight on Cloud's face, and after staring at him blankly for a few seconds, she suddenly realised who he was and jumped, almost knocking her drink over the table.

"Yy, you? How did you get here…?" she demanded angrily. She then shook her head fiercely and got up out of her chair, kicking it back and raising her fists. "Never mind that. I guess it's fate that brought us together. Get ready to die!"

The rest of the group came in then, standing behind Cloud as he stood staring at Elena. They saw the Turk standing with her fists clenched, and her two comrades sitting silently at the table. Hurriedly Tifa and the others all drew their weapons and pushed past Cloud and into the bar, surrounding the table in preparation for what seemed to be an inevitable fight. The rest of the bar fell silent, all eyes on the corner table.

Only Cloud stayed where he was, not moving his eyes away from Elena. She glared back at him, her eyes so fierce and angry that there might as well have been flames burning inside of them. How could a woman so young have so much blood thirst in her? Perhaps she wasn't bloodthirsty at all, Cloud thought silently. Perhaps she was just driven by her duty as a Turk.

"…Elena, you talk too much."

Elena gasped and lowered her fists, spinning round to face Reno. "Ww, what?" she asked, surprised.

Reno didn't even look up at Elena. He just sighed and stuck his finger into his half-empty glass and slowly twirled the shrinking cubes of ice around the container. When he was done stirring them around he flicked his hair out of his eyes and said, "What are we doing way out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Elena blinked, confused by Reno's question. "We're taking our vacation and resting up from our work," she replied.

Slowly Reno nodded his head, and then raised his gaze. He glanced very briefly and without concern at Cloud and the others standing around the table, and then looked back at Elena. "Now our vacation is ruined," he said.

"B, but…"

"…Even the booze tastes bad now," said Rude, who was sitting across from Reno. The older Turk looked down into his own glass with a scowl on his face, as though he had just drank something old and rotting. He put the glass on the table and pushed it away from him, not prepared to drink any more.

Elena looked from Reno to Rude, and then looked back at Reno. Reno had turned away from her and was drinking out of his glass again. She couldn't believe that they were actually going to ignore Cloud and his group, right when they had walked in on them. Even if they were on their vacation…

"…Sorry…" she said finally, giving in and sitting back down in her chair, pulling it back towards the table. She was about to grab her glass again when she stopped, and gave Cloud another fierce glare. "Hmm, you're lucky all right. Now get out of my sight! The next time we meet I won't be so nice."

With the immediate tension subsided Cloud and the others put away their weapons and quickly left the bar, since it was clear that Yuffie was not there. As they left Tifa carefully slid the bar doors shut again, although it was served no purpose other than to make her feel a little safer. Not that anyone could feel entirely safe knowing that the Turks were on the other side of that door.

They were a little bit cautious with the next shop they entered – this time an Item and Materia store in the far north of the town, close to the entrance to the cliff. A young girl was looking at them curiously as they walked entered the store, peering out from behind the wall with a peculiar smile on her young face. As they disappeared inside the shop she disappeared behind the wall again and sniggered, her hands over her mouth so she couldn't be heard.

There was a definite air of tension inside the Item Shop. As Cloud and the others entered the shopkeeper seemed to tense up and quickly moved to the back of his store, pulling a cloth over some small, glittering items he had stored there. Even the other customers in the shop seemed nervous, giving the group suspicious, sideways glances.

"What's their problem?" asked Barret, looking around at the people. As he met their gazes they quickly turned away, pretending to be browsing through the items.

"…They have something to hide," Vincent replied calmly, folding his arms.

Cloud walked forward into the shop, and the others followed close behind. They could feel the gazes of the people on them, watching them with sudden anxiety as they headed further into the shop. The shopkeeper pretended to ignore them, although even he was watching them with keen interest.

Suddenly Cloud stopped and turned his head round, looking at all corners of the shop. There was no sign of Yuffie, but that didn't mean that she wasn't hiding somewhere. They couldn't ask outright if Yuffie was hiding behind the till or something like that – they could only search.

And search they did. Like the customers they pretended to brose through the shop's items, although in reality they were searching for any signs of Yuffie's presence in the shop. Yet there was nothing – if Yuffie was in the shop then she had hid herself away spectacularly.

Cloud headed to the back of the shop and searched along the back wall. While he was moving onto the next wall he came across a chest that was partially hidden amongst the shop's inventory. Curious, he leaned over and quietly opened the chest, taking a quick peek inside.

If he ever needed proof that the shop DID sell materia, this was it. Inside the chest was a single light ball of materia, a type he hadn't seen before. He lifted it up out of the chest and looked inside, trying to see if there was a faint image contained inside.

He was about to stand up and ask the shopkeeper directly about the materia and about Yuffie, when he suddenly heard a loud creaking noise coming from above him. He looked up, and a dark blur suddenly dropped down in front of him. While he was startled Cloud felt his hand being quickly pried open and the ball of materia snatched from his hands, before the blur suddenly moved again, heading out of the shop.

Yuffie didn't pause or wait as she bolted out of the shop, jumping straight over Cait and ducking underneath Cid's spear as he swiped it, trying to knock her over. This time she didn't stop or taunt them and ran straight out, a superior grin on her face as she darted across the ground. She knew Cloud and the others were chasing her, but she had an advantage: speed, and knowledge of the village.

The girl leapt expertly over the bridges, rushing across them to find her next hideaway place. She headed straight for one particular house close to the entrance of the village, taking a quick peek behind her to see if Cloud and the others were following her. For a moment she had a clear run, and so she bolted into the house.

There was an old man and a young boy in the house, and as Yuffie forced her way into the house the boy turned and exclaimed at her loudly. Yuffie ignored him and turned back to the door, peering through to see where Cloud and the others were. To her surprise she saw them crossing the bridge close to where she was, and she quickly jumped, panicked, and ran straight behind a small foldable paper curtain in the corner of the room. She looked up for a second before pulling the curtain around her, hiding herself from view.

Cloud and the others came running into the house, this time certain that they had seen Yuffie run inside. As they ran in the young boy turned to face them, scowled at them angrily, and put his hands on his hips.

"Oh no! More weirdos!" he complained loudly, not looking too happy to see yet more people barging into his house. He paused and looked at them a little more closely, eyeing them up and down. "No, these aren't like the one from a while ago, but these ones look weird too!"

The old man, clearly the boy's grandfather, looked up and gazed at Cloud through squinted eyes. He gazed for a moment or two, before a smile spread on his wrinkly old face. "Well, well," he said cheerfully. "Long time no see. What have you been up to? Let's see… what was your name?"

The kid rolled his eyes and ran over to his grandfather, giving him a playful but harsh dig in his arm. "No, Gramps!" he said fiercely. "This isn't anyone you know! This is just some stranger who barged into our house!"

Cloud and his group stood still, looking more than a little embarrassed at having made another scene barging into someone's private home. Cloud wished he had learned after the Turtle Paradise incident not to just run into people's homes. But they had been so sure they had seen Yuffie run in here… That fact was soon confirmed, as the boy continued to speak.

"What are we going to do, Gramps? Some strange-looking girl came in here a minute ago and I…"

The boy was suddenly silenced as a loud and angry hushing sound came from the corner of the room, loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone turned at the same time towards the corner where the noise came from, and saw the foldable curtain hiding the corner away. Cloud nodded at Tifa, who walked straight over to the curtain and pulled it away, revealing the corner.

As they expected Yuffie was hiding behind it, on her knees and ducking down with her head held between her hands, eyes squeezed shut. She felt the breeze of the curtain being pulled back and slowly lifted her head. Her gaze was met by the angry faces of Tifa and the others, each of them staring at her with fierce intensity.

"……" she mumbled silently, realising she was caught.

At that second Tifa made to grab her, but Yuffie was one step ahead, already up and moving around the room. She jumped out from the corner and moved swiftly, dodging past anyone before heading straight for the door. Red XIII tried to take a snap at her ankles as she dived past, but she was too quick even for his reflexes and bit only the air.

They all piled out of the house again. Because of the small doorway and the size of their group they almost got stuck as they tried to force their way out. Somehow they managed it without getting jammed and ran out into the street again, looking around at Yuffie.

They were too late again. There was no sign of the girl anywhere. There hadn't been enough time for her to get too far, so she must be somewhere around. Yet as they looked around there was no sign of her, as though she had completely vanished.

At that moment the wind suddenly began to change direction for a brief moment, now beginning to blow from the west rather than the east, towards Cloud and the others. Red XIII raised his head as he caught a familiar scent on the air – one that he recognised and was fairly close. However just to be sure he walked forward and sniffed again. Sure enough the scent was there, coming from the west. The others watched him patiently, until Red XIII finally nodded and turned to them.

"Over here," he growled, and began to run off across the bridge.

Everyone followed Red XIII closely as he darted across the bridge, his head held high to catch the last traces of the scent on the breeze before it switched back to its ordinary direction. He was halfway across the second bridge when the wind changed back and the scent was lost, but Red XIII had got enough of it to know that Yuffie was somewhere around the immediate vicinity.

With the others standing around, Red XIII lowered his head to the ground and began to sniff again. It took him a second or two to pick up the scent again from the ground, but when he found it he followed it closely, keeping his nose to the ground.

His nose led him past the door to the Turtle Paradise, and over towards a large stone barrel that stood just next to the wall. Red XIII circled the barrel, and then gently climbed up the side to where the stone lid was resting slightly ajar. He was careful not to get too close or sniff too loudly, but when he finally jumped down and looked at Cloud, he nodded confidently.

Cloud nodded back, and signalled to the others to get into position. They moved instantly, splitting up and guarding the two bridges that led to the rest of the town. Aeris, Cid and Barret took the northern bridge leading to the Item Shop, while Tifa, Vincent and Cait took the eastern bridge, blocking off the way to the Weapon Shop.

With everyone in position, Cloud and Red XIII both turned to the barrel. Cloud strolled up cautiously and peered through the gap created by the stone lid, but all he could see was blackness. He then stepped away from the barrel and punched out with his fist, hitting the side of the barrel with all his might.

His fist connected hard with the side of the barrel, and the sound of his punch echoed loudly inside the barrel. Cloud hit it again, and the echo sounded once more. He hit it fiercely one more time, before a pair of hands burst out of the side and pushed the lid away, and Yuffie leapt out of the barrel.

The girl landed and tried to flee, dodging the swift snaps of Red XIII's jaws as he again tried to bite her ankles and stop her fleeing. Yuffie spun round and ran towards the eastern bridge, only to see that her route was blocked by Tifa, Vincent and Cait, who had their weapons ready to use against her if she tried to pass.

Seeing that there was no way she could pass Yuffie turned the other way and headed towards the northern bridge, hoping to cross into the safety of the forest. She soon skidded to a stop as she saw that bridge was blocked off, too, with Barret, Aeris and Cid standing in her way.

Without thinking Yuffie turned around again and headed back, but quickly stopped as she saw Cloud and Red XIII standing directly behind her. She turned around but remembered all her exits were blocked. It then hit her that she was trapped and she sagged heavily, shaking her head. Seeing this, Cloud stepped forward.

"You can't get away, Yuffie," he told her sternly.

Yuffie looked up through meek eyes and looked around at the others, who were slowly advancing on her. She knew she had know way out, and she also knew that playing the sweet and innocent was not going to get her out of this mess. Knowing this she sighed heavily, and regretfully nodded her head.

"O…okay," she said timidly, her voice barely a whisper. "I know… I was wrong…… You win. I'll give you back your materia."

Cloud then motioned for her to move and Yuffie complied, walking slowly and shyly down the middle of the group towards the eastern bridge. The others followed close behind her, Barret staying especially close so he had the girl within his range, just in case she tried to make a break for it.

While Yuffie led them off to the other end of Wutai, two blue-uniformed Shinra soldiers came running down from the far west of the town, from where the pagoda stood. They looked around aimlessly for a second before crossing the northern bridge, heading for the Turtle Paradise bar. They peered through the paper sheet for a second, before they ran straight into the bar, running to the three Turks that were still sitting around the table.

"So our reports were right!" one of the soldiers shouted as they stopped beside the Turk's table. Elena stood up as they approached, but Reno and Rude didn't flinch. "He IS here on vacation! We finally found him! Get the Turks here for back-up!"

The two soldiers waited for the Turks to make a move. They expected the three to jump up out of their chairs and help out right away, and were incredibly surprised when none of the three Turks moved. Instead Reno just looked down at his glass, now his fourth in a line of empty glasses, and didn't look at the soldiers. "…What a drag," he grumbled, pushing the glass away.

The two soldiers gasped and looked at each other in surprise, wondering what Reno meant. The first soldier then turned back. "Ww, what was that…?" he asked.

Reno sighed heavily, and reached out for yet another glass lined up on the table. By now of course the ice had melted, and Reno frowned. "Right now we're off duty and can't run off to save your butts."

"We know you're off duty, but…"

"If you knew that, then don't bother us!" Reno snapped, suddenly sounding angry as he slammed down his glass and spun round to face the two soldiers, an irritated glare in his eyes. "Lookin' at you is makin' me sober."

The two soldiers seemed taken aback by Reno's aggressive attitude. They looked at Rude, who was looking at them through his black shades but saying nothing, his lips pursed tightly together. Elena was looking at Reno in equal surprise, completely confused.

"But you all have orders from headquarters to look for him too!" the first soldier protested. Reno replied by picking up his glass and taking a huge mouthful out of it, swirling it around his mouth before swallowing it in one loud gulp. The soldier stared in disbelief one second more, before he frowned and shook his fist at Reno. "All right, that's it!" he shouted. "We'll get him without any help from the Turks, just you see!"

Reno shrugged, not really caring what the soldiers did. The soldier growled angrily and then stormed out of the Turtle Paradise, his comrade firmly in tow. Seconds later the soldier returned again, still glaring at Reno through his visor.

"And don't think that headquarters isn't going to hear about this!" he shouted threateningly, before he turned and walked back out again, sliding the doors shut behind him. Again Reno shrugged, and turned back to his drink.

Elena watched silently as the two soldiers stormed off, hearing them grumble all the way outside the bar. She felt a little awkward, as she had never disobeyed a direct order from headquarters before. She couldn't believe that Reno was acting in this way, disobeying an order! Thinking that started to make her angry, and she spun around to face him.

"Reno, do you think that was really such a good idea?" she demanded, losing her temper to Reno's laidback attitude. "I mean is that the way a professional, a Turk would act?"

"Elena," Reno said to her calmly, speaking in such a way that it made Elena's blood boil even more. "Don't misunderstand. A pro isn't someone who sacrifices himself for his job. That's just a fool."

Elena stared at him, her fists clenched and shaking, unable to believe her ears. She turned to face Rude. "Rude…?" she said, hoping that at least Rude would see sense.

To her utmost dismay Rude said nothing to agree with her. He simply sighed and looked away from her, placing his glass on the table. "…………" was all he could muster.

Elena frowned. "Well, I don't buy that!" she snapped. "Goodbye!" And with that she walked out of the bar, leaving Rude and Reno behind. When she was gone Rude looked up at the door, which was still open.

"………" he muttered silently.

"Relax," Reno assured him. "She's not a child. Let her have her way now…" He then downed the rest of his glass, and signalled to the barman for another healthy round.


	16. Part 07: Chapter 16

**_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_**

_I noticed while I was looking up the Pagoda script from (thank you for that!) that I missed a section in Yuffie's chase – apparently there's a scene between her and her father in their house. I admit I've never got this scene – I always went to the Item Shop first. For now I'm not going to add that part until I've played the game up to that bit again and seen it for myself. It shall be a much later update. I'll let you know if and when I add it._

_Also, I've noticed a drop in the number of reviews I'm getting for each chapter. Nowadays it's only about one review each time I update. I understand that this is a very long fic, but I would like to see just a few more. Don't worry, even if I get no reviews, as long as I can see the chapter is being read I will continue writing. I've written this much, I'm not going to stop now. Thanks to all those who at least take the time to read it – I know it is very long. But that is what a novel is all about._

* * *

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Yuffie stood silently in the middle of the living room, her eyes focused on her hands as she twiddled her fingers nervously, unable to meet the angry gazes of the others. They were standing around her, waiting impatiently for her to return their materia to them. Once they had all their materia back they could leave Wutai, and focus on searching for the elusive Temple of the Ancients.

It was quite a nice house – certainly not the kind of home they expected someone as carefree and wayward as Yuffie to live in. It was actually one of the largest houses in Wutai, close to the entrance of the village. As with all the houses in the village there were slide-open doors and cute little tables and cushions to sit on, and beds made on the floor behind paper walls. Wutai truly was a little world of its own.

The young ninja didn't know what to say at first. Each time she tried to lift her eyes; they were met by an angry glare of impatience and frustration. She knew that there was no way she could talk herself out of this mess. The longer she waited the more impatient those gazes became. So she took a deep breath and lifted her head.

"I know, the materia right?" she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I have it stored in a safe place. …Follow me."

Yuffie then turned and headed towards a side door to the north of the room. A set of stairs stood behind it, and Yuffie motioned to the group to follow her. The group hesitated at first. After all, Yuffie was a clever young girl, and no one really knew when she was being serious or plotting some other trick. But there were no other exits, so Yuffie really had nowhere else to go.

They followed her down the stairs and into a basement beneath the house. It looked like some sort of storage room – there were a lot of weapons hanging on the walls – from spears to axes, and even a few shuriken's lay scattered on the floor. The only thing that did seem out of place was a control panel at the far end of the room, with a screen that had the words 'Off' written on it in bold letters, and two levers on the panel in front of it.

Yuffie waved to the others to enter the basement. They all came in as she waved to them, and gathered in the middle of the weapon storeroom. Once they were all gathered they turned to Yuffie, expecting her to return their materia. Yuffie looked at them all hopefully for a moment or two, before she turned her gaze away and looked at the floor.

"…I've been hearing that ever since I was little," she said suddenly. Everyone stopped and turned to her. Yuffie's voice was trembling slightly as she spoke, as though she was nervous or even a little upset. "Before I was born, Wutai was a lot more crowded and important…" She paused for a moment and lifted her eyes so she could look into the gazes of the others. "You saw what it looks like now, right? …JUST a resort town… After we lost the war, we got peace, but with that, we lost something else. Now look at Wutai… That's why… if I had lots of materia I could…"

The ninja stopped suddenly, her voice choking as a heartfelt sob entered her throat. Realising this Yuffie quickly turned and averted her gaze from them, not wanting them to see the tears. Even though she was unable to finish her sentence, everyone knew what she had been trying to say. 'If I had lots of materia I could restore Wutai to its former glory.'

No one said anything for a second or two, absorbing the words of Yuffie's story. It was true that Wutai was simply a resort town now, despite how mysterious it was. There was no doubt that lots of materia would bring in enough money or power to bring Wutai back up into one of the top powers again. Even so, as much as some of the others were somewhat sympathetic to her story, they were not sympathetic enough to let her keep the stolen materia, no matter what the cause.

Seeing the nods of agreement from the others, Cloud walked over to the sobbing young ninja and stood beside her, although he refused to look at her. "Listen, Yuffie," he said, stern and uncaring. "I don't care about the history of Wutai or your feelings. You've got our materia and I want it back… now. If you give it back now, we'll drop the whole thing."

"I know. I know that…" Yuffie said, still trying hard to choke back her sobs.

Even so, a few salty tears rolled down her cheeks, and when she dared a quick glance at Cloud he saw that her eyes were red. She looked at him hopefully for a few seconds more, before she turned away and waved her arm over to the control panel at the end of the room.

"That… sniff… switch…" she mumbled quietly, her voice muffled through her hand and her tears. "The lever on the left…… materia's… sniff, hic… in there."

Cloud nodded gratefully, and gave the ninja a small, comforting pat on the shoulder. Then he turned and walked across the room, towards the control panel.

It was a very simple mechanism. There were no buttons, just the two levers sticking up out of the metal. Cloud assumed that when he pulled the left lever down, some secret hatch would open up and reveal their materia.

Cloud reached out and closed his fingers around the lever. He hesitated at first and even wondered if maybe he should pull the right lever instead. Then he remembered the look on Yuffie's face and the sincerity of her tears… maybe she truly was sorry for stealing the materia. This thought gave him the assurance that she was telling the truth, so he gripped the lever and pulled it down with a gentle click.

That was then followed by the sound of a much larger click, followed by a very loud grating noise that came from the ceiling. Cloud was about to look up when Aeris suddenly screamed loudly, her gaze already on the ceiling. Cloud spun around and looked up just in time to see a large grey cage suddenly drop down from the ceiling, and slam itself onto the ground around where the others all stood. Red XIII pulled his tail away just in time as the heavy metal bars struck the ground, and he turned around to face Yuffie with a fierce glare in his eyes.

"Wh, what are you doing?" he snarled angrily.

"Ha ha ha------!"

Yuffie jumped up and spun around to face the others trapped inside the cage. The tears in her eyes had completely vanished, replaced by a happy grin that only became wider as she saw the angry and surprised gazes of the others. Even though the metal bars kept them all trapped inside, she made sure she stayed clear of Red XIII's vengeful claws.

"Never trust anyone that easily!" she advised the group, the grin remaining wide, enforced by the sheer thrill of knowing that she had once again fooled them. "The Materia's mine! Tough!"

Without even so much as a wave, she quickly turned and ran out of the room, heading upstairs towards the door. When she was halfway up the stairs she stopped, a second grin spreading on her face. She sniggered to herself, and then turned and ran back down, standing in the doorway.

"You want your materia? Then go find it yourself!" she snapped. "Yeah that's right. And when you're lookin' for the materia, remember you gotta steel it. Heh heh… Steel… Steel! Get it? C ya!" This time she did wave, and then she turned and ran off the stairs again. The sound of her laugh echoed down the hallway, and the upstairs door slammed shut.

Quickly Cloud turned back to the control levers in front of him, trying to decide which one would lift the cage and release the others. He had pulled the left lever to release the cage… maybe moving it back into place would lift it back up again? He didn't waste any time mulling it over, for every second they wasted allowed Yuffie to run further and further away from them.

He pushed the left lever back up, and a loud creaking sound signalled that the cage was being lifted up again. He turned to see that it was so, and the cage was gradually lifted from the ground and back up the ceiling. It was an amazing piece of machinery, but they had no time to wonder how they did not notice it when they came in. They had to catch up with Yuffie.

"Let's go!" Cloud said.

The others, now free of the cage that had trapped them, nodded. Cloud then led the way as he tore out of the room and darted up the stairs, his mind focused on catching the pesky ninja who had tricked them once again. The door to the house was wide open as they burst into the living room, a clear sign that Yuffie had once again fled into the safety of the village.

Cloud tore out of the house and stopped, looking around for any signs of Yuffie nearby. The others came out just seconds later and stopped also, their eyes wandering around the northern part of Wutai, trying to spot the girl. They could no longer rely on the wind giving her scent away, for it had turned back to its original direction, carrying her scent away from them.

It did not take them long to spot her. As their eyes fell on the northern bridge leading back towards the Turtle Paradise they saw her standing on the bridge, pausing for breath. The moment they spotter her, she spotted them, and quickly took off again across the bridge. Determined not to let the girl out of their sight, Cloud and the others quickly followed her.

Yuffie panted hard as she ran, putting all of her strength into her running as she tried to pull away from the advancing group. She pushed past one of the villagers as she passed the bridge, kicking up dust as she turned to dart across the western bridge. For a split second she became torn as to whether she should run left or right, for the path split into two. Going right would take her into the mountains, and going left would take her further into the village.

That decision was quickly made for her, as she heard the sound of loud growling and snapping jaws close behind her. Making a quick decision Yuffie swerved to her left, just in time, for as she turned a blur of red zipped quickly past her. She didn't stop or wait to see if Red XIII was still following her, and continued to run alongside the stream's edge towards the southern part of the village.

Cloud and the others continued to run, beginning to lose distance again thanks to her sudden swerve back into the village. They had to skim past Red XIII, who had been forced to make a sudden stop in order to avoid crashing into the wall of the Item Shop. As long as they kept Yuffie in their sights, they could follow her until they were able to catch her.

Yuffie then broke into the southern part of Wutai – a wide open area containing a single large house and the tall pagoda that loomed like a watchtower over the village. Opposite the house there was a structure that looked like a shelter, with a single small bell dangling inside of it. Yuffie grinned and made another swerve, heading for the structure.

The others entered the southern district too late. Yuffie was already one step ahead of them, leaping up the stairs towards the structure and the dangling bell. She didn't even pause as she jumped up and pulled hard on the string of the bell, making it ring loudly and clearly throughout the district. She then turned back and leapt over the wall, to where a small wooden door was just opening, leading into shadow. As she leapt over the wall she turned and zipped straight through the door, closing it firmly behind her.

Cloud got there just as the door slammed shut. He pushed hard against it, but it was already locked firmly from the other side. Furiously he slammed his fist against the strong wooden frame. All he got in response to his punch was a manic, happy laugh, coming from the ninja from the other side. That laugh continued even as it faded away, meaning Yuffie was running off and making her escape. They had lost her.

"Damn it!" Cloud shouted angrily. He stepped back and gave the door a hefty kick, but it was a hopeless attempt. The door was too strong and refused to budge, and he could no longer hear Yuffie's laugh.

"Have we lost her?" asked Aeris.

Cloud stopped kicking the door frame and stepped back, running a hand furiously through his blond hair, wanting to pull it out of sheer frustration. He took a breath, and looked up. "No," he said, shaking his head. "We have to find a way to follow her. She managed to open this door, so we should be able to, as well." He crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "How…?"

They all paused for a moment or two and thought it over. Somehow Yuffie had opened this door, but what had she done? There were no switches nearby, and they had looked around the inside of the structure for any kind of hidden buttons or levers that she could have pulled when they didn't see… They ran the whole scene over in their minds. She had ran, she rang the bell, she jumped to the door…

Everyone realised it at the same time, and eight sets of eyes all turned towards the bell, which had stopped ringing and was now motionless on the ceiling. Yuffie had jumped up and rang the bell before the door had opened. It was the only way. The bell had to be the hidden switch operated to open the door.

"The bell…" said Tifa, voicing everyone's thoughts.

Vincent nodded in agreement. "It is the only possible assumption," he said calmly.

"Then let's try it!" said Cid.

He pushed past Vincent and Cait and marched up the stairs towards the structure, and stopped beneath the bronze-plated bell. Up close he could see the mechanism – the number of small levers and cables that wound their way through the frame of the structure, most likely heading towards the door. Cid pulled out his cigarette and put it behind his ear, before reaching up and ringing the bell.

It rang loud and clear, just like before, echoing throughout the southern district. Cloud turned to the door as the bell rang, hearing a soft click sound from just behind the door. He gently pushed on the frame, and sighed with relief as it opened easily at his touch. He signalled to the others before pushing the door open fully, and they stepped through into the darkness.

It was dark at first since there were no lights, so they had to feel their way down a small set of stairs towards the bottom. There were see lights at the end of the stairs – coming from a half open door. As they approached they could hear the sounds of a scuffle, and a voice that could only be Yuffie's coming from the other side.

"Let go! I SAID let GO!"

Cloud reached behind him and put his hand around the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it in an instant if there was trouble on the other side. He presumed it would be Reno and the rest of the Turks, taking their chance to capture Yuffie and lure the others into a trap. If this wasn't another of Yuffie's traps, that is. He cautiously opened the door, and they all looked inside.

Sure enough Yuffie was in that room, although she was not looking at Cloud or standing on the floor. She was instead up in the air, held up by the strong arms of a man in a black uniform. She was struggling fiercely, waving her arms and kicking her legs fiercely as she tried to break away. The man had a secure grip on her and she was unable to do anything. Down by the man's feet were her shuriken's, thrown aside so that they were useless to her.

"Hey!" Yuffie protested loudly. She tried to turn her head to look down at the man who was holding her, but all she could see was the top of his head. "Who do you think I….. OW!" She gasped as the man tightened his grip on the back of her neck. "What're you doin'…? Jerk!"

Cloud stared for a moment, watching as Yuffie struggled even harder to break free of the man's expert grip. The man obviously wasn't a member of the Turks – they wore blue uniforms, not black. Cloud thought that maybe the man was a friend, until he caught glimpse of an unfortunately familiar figure standing behind him.

"You……!" Cloud narrowed his eyes and drew his sword, preparing for battle.

Standing behind the suited man was a figure Cloud had hoped never to see again, and was sickened to recognise him. That bulbous body, covered up by the long red robe like something out of a royal fantasy. That bald head with its shiny crown… That sickening imagination that he was attractive, and irresistible to women…

"……ho…………………ho……………" the man burbled from the back of the room. He looked up and gazed at Cloud, before a smile appeared on his face and he moved his tilted crown back to the top of his head. "Hohi, hohi! Hohihi!"

"Corneo?" Cloud exclaimed angrily. Tifa and Aeris both groaned in unison, both of them as dismayed as Cloud that they had encountered Don Corneo again. The others looked around, confused.

They had first met the repulsive Don Corneo back in Midgar. He had been the top man in charge of Sector 6, the Wall Market district of the slums. When they had met him he had been living in luxury, managing the red-light district and the Honeybee Inn, looking for a bridge. Thanks to him, Cloud had been forced to dress up as a woman in order to rescue Tifa, and following that, Sector 7 had been destroyed. All because he had blabbed about the whereabouts of AVALANCHE. He truly was a sick, self-obsessed individual. They had left him in Sector 6, but never thought for even a second that he would turn up in Wutai.

"Hohi!" Corneo said cheerfully, giving them a little bow. He stood upright again. "I've finally got a new chicky! Two for one, in fact! Hohi, hohi!"

Cloud stared. "Two?" he asked. All he could see was Yuffie, still being held up by the man in the black suit. Then he looked towards the stairs at the far end of the room, and saw what Corneo meant by 'two'.

Up on the stairs was another man in a black suit. In his arms was another woman, being held up above his head just like Yuffie was. Everyone gasped as they recognised this woman, too. The blonde hair and that blue suit were just unforgettable. Elena of the Turks.

"H……hey! Let go of me!" Elena shouted fiercely, her arms pinned to her sides by the second man's equally strong arms. "You're gonna regret this!" The second man didn't seem to be listening to her, and just let Elena continue her pointless struggle. Corneo didn't seem to realise that she was a Turk, and anyway, by herself, Elena could not do much to stop him.

It was in fact very clear that Corneo did not know that she was a Turk, for he was grinning happily with absolute excitement. "Hohi, hohi! Hohihi!" he snorted, almost jumping from the sheer thrill of having caught two ladies at one go. He then gave a little wave and darted up the stairs towards another door, his two men following him close behind.

Corneo glanced back as he ran through the door, waving farewell as he burst through the door. He came out on the other side, on the ground floor of Wutai's local inn. As he ran through he turned his head back to the front, and rapidly skidded to a stop as he saw what was standing in front of him.

In the middle of the room were a fairly large number of blue-uniformed Shinra soldiers, each one suited up and ready for battle. They seemed surprised when the back wall of the room opened up and Corneo came dashing through, but once that momentary surprise was over they each quickly drew their guns and other weapons. Then they all aimed for Corneo.

"There he is! It's Corneo! Don't let him get away!" one of the officers barked.

Corneo looked around the room hurriedly, trying to find a way out of the mess he had gotten into. He heard the angry cries coming from behind him, and suddenly smiled, coming up with an idea. All of this took about two seconds, as he turned back to the soldiers.

"Ataaaack!" the soldier barked again, his gun raised to the air.

The two sides collided in an instant, and the soldiers and the opposing group both tumbled forward into a big heap on the floor. When Cloud opened his eyes he found himself staring into the dark mask of a Shinra soldier's helmet. He could see his own reflection clearly, as well as the faint, blacked out eyes of the Shinra soldier who was shielded behind it. He saw those eyes stare blankly for a second, before they narrowed into an expression of fury.

* * *

**Emerald:** Sorry for the wait for this chapter. Even though it's one of my favourite sections I just couldn't get into the writing of it. But I'm back at Uni now, so that does mean updates may slow down. I'm currently in three days a week, so Tuesday morning are my best time for updating, since I'm at Uni and don't have a lesson until 1 o clock. Go me! I'm just glad that we're finally getting closer to the end of Disc 01! We've not far to go! 


	17. Part 07: Chapter 17

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Seventeen**

Quickly Cloud jumped up onto his feet, his hand already behind him to draw his sword. He pulled the sword out in a single, swift movement, and kept moving so that the wide blade swung around towards the startled soldier. The flat side of the blade struck the soldier's helmet before he could even think about picking up his gun again. The sword connected with a loud crack, and the soldier crumpled into a heap onto the floor.

The rest of the Shinra soldiers did not waste any time in making up their minds whether to attack or not, and quickly rushed to pick up their guns from the ground. Although their orders were to catch the cagey Don Corneo, they also had orders instructing them to capture Cloud and his comrades whenever it was possible. As it turned out they were all too slow, as Cloud and the others were already up and moving before their hands could even reach their weapons.

It was all over in just over a minute. Soldiers went flying through the air, crashing through the thin wooden walls into neighbouring rooms as Tifa picked them up with her fists and slammed them into the wall. Guns clattered and skimmed across the ground as Cait Sith jumped up on his Mog body and pounced straight on top of one of the soldiers, flattening him beneath his massive bulk. Barret and Vincent did not dare to fire their guns in such a confined space, but that didn't stop them from grabbing the soldiers and throwing them aside to Cid, who caught them with his spear and also hurled them to the ground as though they were nothing.

One of the Shinra soldiers tried to make a break for it during the fray. The door to the room was open, and this one soldier saw an opportunity to slip through while the others were preoccupied in their fight. He saw his chance and took it, darting across the room between the soldiers, heading for the door.

Aeris was standing at the back of the group then, and saw the soldier rushing towards the door. In an attempt to stop him she threw her staff across the room, trying to block his path. The staff caught the soldier and became entangled in his ankles, causing him to trip up and fall onto the floor.

Aeris then quickly jumped over another fallen soldier, moving fast before the soldier could get up again. She picked up her staff as it skimmed across the floor, and brought it down swiftly onto the soldier's head. The glass mask smashed and the soldier fell onto the floor, not about to get up again after a blow like that.

After that minute was over, all of the soldiers were either unconscious or incapacitated, some of them groaning and crawling pathetically across the ground. It was pointless killing the soldiers. After all, it wasn't the soldiers they were after. It was Don Corneo that they were after now, and the precious cargo that he had taken from them (the precious cargo being the one person who knew where their materia was hidden).

Tifa stopped and looked around the room. She expected to see Don Corneo in a corner; shivering and quivering like a scared rat at their might and strength. Yet as she glanced around she saw that he was nowhere to be seen. The only people in the room were themselves, excluding the defeated soldiers.

"Where is he?" she asked aloud, breaking the silence.

Everyone looked around at the room, although they knew that Don Corneo had already gone. He had slipped out at the beginning of the battle, using the fray between the soldiers and Cloud's team as a diversion so that he could escape unnoticed. There was also no doubt in their minds that he had taken Yuffie and Elena with him, since there was no sign of them or the two men carrying them.

Cloud walked briskly towards the open door, stepping over the unconscious soldier as he did so. He looked briefly down the corridor leading out of the room, and saw that it was empty. "He can't have gone too far," he said to the others. He slipped his sword back into its hilt behind his back. "Red XIII, can you pick up his scent?"

The hound jumped over to Cloud and sniffed the air, trying to catch the scent. There were five separate scents in the air, two of which belonged to Yuffie and Elena, he could tell, and he guessed the other three belonged to Don Corneo and his two henchmen. All of these scents led down the corridor, most likely towards the exit. With a gruff growl he leapt past Cloud and began to jog lightly down the corridor, growling at the others to follow him.

The others did follow, running in single file down the thin corridors as they tried to keep up with Red XIII. Their boots made loud and heavy thuds against the wood, drowning out their heavy panting. Red XIII led the way, his head always lifted to the air to catch Yuffie's scent as it drifted past him.

The building that they were in was an inn of sorts – clearly different to the inns they had visited during their journey. There were a number of slide-open doors along the corridor, each leading to fairly identical rooms. But Red XIII wasn't interested in these, since Yuffie's scent wasn't coming from any of them. He knew that her scent was leading him towards the entrance, where hopefully they would catch up with Corneo before he ran too far ahead of them.

The entrance was just ahead now. Red XIII darted round that final corner, his sharp claws digging deep into the wood and creating sharp splinters as he turned around and made that final dash towards the exit. He pulled away from the others, realising that the scent was beginning to fade.

He burst through the open doors like a hound out of a horror novel. He almost flew through the air above the stairs, casting his dark shadow onto the ground. When he landed he dug his claws into the soft dirt, twisting his body round into a forced stop in front of the inn. When he stopped he immediately raised his head to the air, trying to catch Yuffie's scent.

As he had feared, the scent was no longer blowing on the wind. The wind had changed once again, taking Yuffie's scent away from him. This meant that Corneo had taken Yuffie and Elena to the northern part of the village, but without a strong scent to follow it meant that they would have to start searching for her again.

There was but one scent in the air that he recognised as the wind drifted past his nose. He spotted the source of the smell running past him just a second later, black, white and red blurs rushing past his eyes. This source caused him to bare his teeth and growl fiercely, perhaps unnecessarily.

Reno and Rude ignored Red XIII as they ran past, heading away from the bell-tower and stopping at the top of the stairs leading to the northern part of the village. They had finally managed to pry themselves away from the bar, but only after hearing from the soldiers that Corneo had captured Elena.

Red XIII narrowed his eyes and was about to make a ferocious pounce at the two Turks, when a hand suddenly swept in front of his eyes and caused him to stop. Red XIII looked up as Cloud stood next to him, wondering why the human had stopped him. Cloud looked back at Red XIII and shook his head, before looking back at the two Turks as they stood on the stairs.

"Hmm… that Corneo is good at escaping…" they heard Reno say. He had his arms folded irritably, his jacket and shirt blowing loosely in the wind. He looked a little annoyed, perhaps even a little concerned.

Beside him, Rude's face remained expressionless, although they guessed that behind those dark shades his eyes were also anxious. "……Elena," was all he said. He looked away from Reno and glanced at the ground, his mouth creasing into a frown.

Reno looked up and glanced at his partner. That was just like Rude: showing no form of emotion even when he was so obviously concerned about Elena. Not that he blamed him – Elena was smart, but even Reno was worried about her. "Let's go, Rude," he said, sounding somewhat cheerful to lighten the mood. "We'll give them a taste of what the Turks can do."

Rude looked back down at Reno, staring at him sternly through those dark shades of his. Reno kept his expression firm, until Rude finally nodded and ran off down the stairs, leaving Reno alone. Once the Turk was gone Reno sighed heavily, flicking his red hair out of his eyes. "……Sounded pretty good," he said.

Suddenly he stopped, as he caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eyes. He turned his head a little and saw the figure moving behind him, and a somewhat devious little smirk spread on his face. He turned away again, his hand slipping underneath his blazer towards his metal rod, which was hidden there. "If Elena is in his hands, that's going to make things a little difficult," he said. "And uh…"

Behind him Cloud slowly nodded his head, keeping his eyes firmly focused on Reno's hand. Although he didn't think Reno would attack him, considering the circumstances, he wasn't going to take any chances. "……Okay," he agreed. "Corneo took Yuffie from us. And without Yuffie, there's no way we'll get our materia back."

Reno didn't reply. His hand was still just underneath his jacket, his fingers twitching and just centimetres away from the handle of his weapon. The urge to bring it out and strike Cloud while he was so close was tempting, but Reno knew that right then there were more important things at hand. And with Cloud watching him so closely, he would not have been able to get it out fast enough.

"Don't misunderstand," he said finally, letting his hand fall casually to his side as he turned to face Cloud. "We have no intention of joining you. But for now, we'll agree not to bother each other. That's all."

"That's fine," Cloud answered, just as sternly, also letting his hand fall from the handle of his blade now that Reno had moved away from his. "We have absolutely no intention of cooperating with the Turks, either."

He gave Reno a nod, and he nodded back. The two men stared at each other intently for a second or two, wondering who was going to break the silence first. Reno gave another little smirk as he folded his arms again, waiting for Cloud to ask the question he knew they needed answering. Eventually Cloud did give in, and scratched the back of his head.

"Now, uh, just what direction did Corneo run off to?"

"Hmm, nice attitude," replied Reno, suppressing a chuckle. He turned away from Cloud and took a few steps away down the stairs, where he stopped and looked out at Wutai. "Here's a clue," he said. "It's the place that stands out the most."

With that, Reno then reached under his blazer and pulled out the metal rod, flicking it out to its full length and placing it on his shoulder. He then ran down the stairs, leaving Cloud behind. When he was gone Cloud turned back to the others, whom were all waiting patiently behind him. Cloud shrugged his shoulders, and turned back to look at the village.

"It's the place that stands out the most," Reno had said. What was that supposed to mean?

Up until that point, Cloud would have figured that it was the pagoda that stood out the most. It was the tallest building in the whole of Wutai, and was visible no matter where you stood in the village. It was like a beacon or a watchtower, taller than all the trees, looking after the village on its perch. And since Reno had run off to the north, he couldn't have meant the pagoda being the thing that 'stood out the most.' So what else was there that stood out?

He looked around at the village. From the top of the stairs he could see the two shops, the houses, and the Turtle Paradise. He could even see Yuffie's house – the biggest house and Wutai. Even from there it still looked like a normal house – nothing special that made it stand out above the rest.

Then, as Cloud looked around, his eyes slowly moved eastward. They moved towards the very far easy of the village, to where the item shop stood. Behind the shop he could see a very rocky path, winding up slowly past the village. He followed its line upwards, and a look of realisation set in as he finally saw 'the place that stood out the most.'

Cloud almost kicked himself for his stupidity. He should have realised it sooner, for it really was the place that stood out more than anything else. What else was more obvious than a large, rocky cliff standing alongside a village? What could be more visible than a huge structure made of stone, carved into that cliff, looking down at the village?

* * *

Sure enough, Reno and Rude were still waiting for them by the time Cloud and the rest of his group finally arrived at the rocky entrance of Da Chao, the sacred mountain of Wutai. They were waiting somewhat impatiently, as Reno was pacing across the ground, kicking at the dirt and lightly smacking his metal rod against the rocks. Rude was probably the more patient of the two, but of course no one could see his expression behind his shades. 

As Cloud and the others began to run up the path towards the two, Reno stopped his pacing and looked up. "You're finally here," he called down to them as they approached. Even so, he was somewhat surprised that they had figured out his riddle so fast. Maybe they were smarter than they looked.

No one answered Reno right away. They just came to a stop at the top of the path, trying hard not to show their fatigue from having run non-stop right through the village just to reach this spot. When they all caught their breath they looked at Reno, waiting for him to tell them more about Corneo's whereabouts. Reno seemed to realise this, as he shook his head and pointed to the mountain behind them.

"We're gonna split into two," he explained briefly to them. "You do whatever you want. But don't endanger Elena." He seemed to stress that remark quite firmly, before turning and walking away up the mountain path. After a few steps he stopped again, remembering something, and glanced back at Cloud. "Don't worry. We won't do anything to that girl, Yuffie. For now…" he added with a sneer.

Reno then nodded to Rude. Rude nodded silently back, and the two Turks then ran off up the mountain path into the depths of Da Chao, leaving Cloud and the others behind at the entrance.

With the two Turks gone, Cloud and the others were left to search the mountain alone. There was no point asking Reno for any other clues – they probably didn't know where Corneo was hiding either. Not that they would ever admit to that. The Turks cared a lot about their appearance, and having one of their company kidnapped must have been very embarrassing for them.

There were a number of winding paths surrounding the statue of Da Chao. The path they were on now was the main path, rising up to the bottom of the main stone figure at the centre of the congregation. From this point the statue looked very large and domineering, casting its dark shadow onto them as the late afternoon sun began to set in.

They moved on steadily up the stone path. About halfway up the statue the path split into many different directions, acting like a spider's web that wound itself around the statues of Da Chao. They could see Reno and Rude, running in different directions in their search for Elena and Corneo. At one point during their search they passed Rude as he stood thoughtfully outside a small, darkened cave, before making up his mind and running into the darkness.

After about five minutes of searching, the party came to a stop on one of the stone paths. They were high above the ground now, almost alongside the head of the main Da Chao statue. It was hopeless. The statues of Da Chao were just too big and too winding for them to search thoroughly. There were many hidden nooks and crannies – so many different places that Corneo could use to hide himself, Yuffie and Elena. Even with the Turks on their side, there was only so much that they could do.

"This is hopeless!" Cid shouted suddenly, throwing his spear harshly onto the ground. "They could be anywhere by now! I tell ya, that girl's more trouble than she's worth!"

No one disagreed with him. If Yuffie hadn't taken their materia in the first place, then they wouldn't be wasting precious time searching for her. They were meant to be looking for the Temple of the Ancients, not chasing her. Cid was right: she was more trouble than she was worth, but they needed their materia.

While everyone took this moment to take a quick rest and catch their breath, Vincent walked away from the group and headed further down the path. He didn't go very far because the path came to an end, sweeping to the left as it joined up with the arm of one of the statues. He looked out at the village for a second or two, until a sound caught his ear and he looked to his left. He raised an eyebrow at what he saw, and then called Cloud over to look.

* * *

Yuffie struggled with all of her might, desperately trying to break free of the ropes that bound her to the wall. The knots were fixed tight, tied securely to metal hoops attached to a metal plate forced onto the front of the statue. If she pulled too hard she would most likely pull the loop free altogether and fall to her death. But even that was better than hanging like bait against the wall. 

She had been tied up and positioned over one of the eyes of the statue of Da Chao. Elena was beside her, tied up like she was, across the other eye of the statue, although she wasn't struggling. The ground was a long way beneath them, and to fall from this height would mean certain death. So, as undignified as it was, she kept as still as possible and avoided struggling. Unlike Yuffie.

"LET… ME…… GO!"

Safely on the ground in front of them, Don Corneo strolled leisurely across the open stone palm of the hand of Da Chao. That same manic grin was still on his face as he gazed up adoringly at the two tied up women. He seemed to get some strange pleasure out of seeing the two tied there, and made no effort to hide it.

"Hmm! Delicious… scrumptious!" he exclaimed gleefully, clapping his hands together in sheer excitement. "I think I've just found a new HOBBY! Which shall it be? Hmm… Hmm…" He moved over towards the end of Da Chao's hand, and looked up at Elena. "Should I go… with HER?"

Elena stared blankly at him for a second. When realisation set in her eyes opened wide in horror and she looked physically sick. "He…Hey, I'm one of the 'Turks'!" she protested fiercely. "Don't think you can get away with this?"

Corneo ignored Elena. Either that or he was just so wrapped up in his own delusional fantasy that he never even heard her. He licked his lips in delight, and quickly waddled over to the other end of the hand, this time choosing to gaze up at the tied-up ninja.

"Or… maybe… HER?"

Yuffie narrowed her eyes angrily at Corneo, feeling just as sick as Elena was. "Oh, GAWD!" she cursed loudly, increasing the momentum of her wriggling as she tried desperately to break free of the bonds that held her to the wall. "If I knew this was gonna happen, I would've taken rope escape lessons more seriously!" She gave her arms a hefty tug, but the metal loops were firmer than they looked, and did not break free. She gave another loud curse and hit her head against the wall.

While the girl was busy struggling with her shackles, Corneo continued to move his eyes from one girl to the other. He seemed to take each girl into careful consideration, letting his eyes wander up and down their tied-up bodies. A dozen thoughts were running through his head. When they finally came together his eyes lit up. He had come to a decision.

"Hmm! I've made my choice!" he announced, speaking loudly so that the two girls, and anyone else in the area, could hear him. "My companion for the night will be……" He let that sentence hang in the air for a moment, an imaginary drum roll beating loudly through his head. When he heard the unreal clash of the symbols in his mind, he raised his arms up and stood before Yuffie. "The cheerful one!"

"GROSS-NESS!" Yuffie said in reply, her entire body convulsing from the sheer thought of what Corneo had in mind. She opened her eyes and glared down at the man angrily, wishing she could rip that idiotic smile of his off of his face. "Don't mess with me old man! You don't even have any materia!"

Again Corneo seemed to disregard what she had said, interpreting her words into a meaning that only he could think of. He began to jump up and down on the ground, acting like a little boy who was being given candy for the very first time, tasting its sweet, sugary flavour. "And she's saucy, too!" he said, ecstatically. "Wheee! Wheee!"

"All right, that's it!"


	18. Part 07: Chapter 18

**_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_**

This chapter and Chapter 17 was originally one chapter, but as I got closer to hitting 8,000 words I figured I might as well split the chapter into two separate chapters instead. It lengthens the Wutai section out a bit at least.

Now, a little note about the Pagoda section. I will be writing this bit up separately to the rest of the instalment, and uploading it as a separate story. This new story file shall be labelled 'Up the Pagoda' (isn't that original?). So from this point of this instalment we shall be leaving Wutai behind. I shall let you all know through here when the 'Up the Pagoda' section will be available.

* * *

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Corneo stopped jumping up and down, and quickly turned to face the path behind him. For an instant there was a look of fear and panic in his eyes, for a moment wondering if he was in any danger. "Hee-haw. What… what's goin' on?" he demanded. "Who's there?"

He looked further up the path, and jumped back for a second time as he saw Cloud and his party running down the arm of Da Chao towards him. He backed up onto the very edge of the path, beside a small, metallic structure that was embedded in the rock. While he looked scared to see Cloud and the others approaching him, Yuffie, looked extremely relieved.

"Oh man! Cloud……!" Yuffie called out desperately. Never in her life had she been so glad to see the spiky-haired ex-SOLDIER. Beside her, Elena also sighed with relief, equally relieved to see Cloud and the others come to their rescue. She would have preferred Tseng or the other Turks, but as long as she was rescued from this predicament, she didn't care who saved her.

"Wheee!" Corneo exclaimed gleefully. "…Long time no see." He said it a little cautiously, as though he wasn't entirely sure whether he had seen them before.

Cloud raised an eyebrow at the estranged man, and folded his arms. "Don't tell me you forgot…" he said in disbelief.

"That fall into the trap really hurt!" Tifa shouted angrily, clenching her firsts tightly. She was of course referring to the trap that Corneo had tricked them into back in Midgar, delaying their return to Sector 7 in time to stop the support pillar from being destroyed. They had managed to squeeze the information they needed out of him, but he was as slippery as an eel and had a backup plan ready.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Aeris shouted, just as angry as Tifa was. Their minds were both fixed on all of the innocent people who had been crushed to death when the Sector 7 plate came crashing down. It was because of Corneo that that had happened. Because he had told the Shinra that AVALANCHE was based in Sector 7. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie were only a few of those many innocents.

Don Corneo didn't look very sympathetic. "Be quiet!" he snapped instead, silencing them all. "None of you know how much I've suffered since then…" He turned away from them. "It's a long story, but……"

"We don't want to hear it!" said Tifa. "Just let the two go!"

Don Corneo turned back to face the group. So he did remember them after all. The Shinra had found out about him telling Cloud and the others about their plans to destroy the pillar, and since then Corneo had been on the run, fearing for his life. He had run from Midgar to Kalm, across the ocean to Costa del Sol, and finally ended up in Wutai where he thought he would be safe. Until the Turks got involved, and he ended up on the run again.

"Hmm… You guys are… serious," he said, looking from one person to another. He eyed over their wide selection of weaponry, and was clever enough to notice the complete lack of materia. A sly smile widened on his face. "……Good, good. …This ain't no time for me to be fooling around either… Why did you kill my little Aps? I'm gonna make you PLAY with my new pet, so you won't be getting in the way of my search for a bride!" He turned to the cliff. "RAPPS---Come here!"

A loud and high-pitched screech suddenly came from the ground beneath them, and the heavy beating of flapping wings could be heard. All at once everyone's hands rushed to their weapons, instantly ready to fight off anything that Corneo was about to throw at them.

Cloud reached behind him and draw his Buster Sword, holding the handle firmly in his hands. He was not worried about what kind of creature Corneo would set against them. Last time Corneo had underestimated their ability to kill Aps, his sewer monster, and it was more than likely that he would underestimate them again. Even without their materia, he had every confidence that they would defeat this new beast with ease.

The sound of rushing wings got louder, and a dark red blur suddenly zipped up from the ground below, heading up to the sky. As the creature rose it screeched again, flapping its thick, leathery wings as it rose up into the sky.

As Cloud had expected, Corneo had underestimated them. Rapps, as he called the creature, was nothing more than a simple aerial dragon, and not even a fully-grown one at that. At full size and strength the dragon would cause them problems, especially since they had no materia. This dragon was about half the size it should have been, with a long, thin, spiky snout and a small spike at the end of its long tail. It would cause no problems at all.

* * *

Reno was still searching at that moment. He had searched the eastern side of the statue, looking into every hidden cave that he could see, and was now heading back towards the west side to meet up with Rude. He could not see Cloud and his party any more, and it disgusted him to think that he had to team up with them in order to get Elena back safely. 

As he was walking across one of the upper paths, he suddenly heard a loud and angry screech echo up from the ground below. He stopped in the middle of the path and looked down in time to see a dark red and purple dragon fly up from below. The sound of gunfire could then be heard, and the dragon circled rapidly.

However, Reno was ignoring the dragon. He had spotted something much more important standing on the hand near to where the dragon had arisen. He could see the small, rounded figure of Don Corneo, jumping up and down in excitement, calling out to his draconic pet in glee as it circled and avoided the gunfire. Reno let a small smile appear briefly on his face, before he began to walk across the path again.

* * *

Rapps gave another ear-shattering screech as another bullet pierced the thin flesh of its body. The bullet shot straight through to the other end, pushing out of the monsters back and into the air. There were more bleeding bullet wounds all across its body – dark green blood pouring from its chest and stomach, and even pouring like tears from its eyes. Its speed had been a great advantage in this battle, allowing it to dive in fast strokes. 

The monster dived again, making one final attempt to get at least one of its prey off the ledge. It tilted its wounded wings and dived, trying to pass the ledge on the eastern side.

The dragon approached, and Cid pushed past Tifa and ran across the path towards the junction where the dragon would pass. Vincent managed to jump aside as the dragon swept in, firing a good few bullets from his gun as it passed. He stopped firing as Cid jumped past him and off the ledge, his spear high above his head as he prepared to bring it down onto the creature.

His aim was perfect. He landed on the creature's back as it flew past the ledge, and instantly brought his spear down. The sharp spear pierced through the flesh with ease, its thin point splicing through until it came out of the other end, narrowly missing the creature's erratically beating heart.

Cid hung on with all his might, keeping the spear still as the dragon screeched and thrashed its wings in a panic. Already it was beginning to drop in height – the blood loss and pain from the spear beginning to take its toll. Pretty soon it was beginning to drop dramatically, heading towards the ground. At the last second Cid withdrew his spear and leapt from the creature's back, landing back on the ledge without a scratch.

Rapps meanwhile, was dead even before he hit the ground. As he fell towards the rocky chasm below his eyes slid shut, passing quietly into death before his body could hit the rocks. No one watched him land.

All Don Corneo could do was watch and stare as his beloved Rapps crashed onto the ground, falling into a rugged heap on the floor. His jaw hung open in disbelief, unable to believe that his dragon had been defeated. When he looked up at last he saw the fixed gazes of the party staring at him intently, and he quickly turned white as he realised that he was next.

"Wait…" he said quickly, waving his arms madly in front of him. "Just wait a second!"

Cloud shook his head, his sword sharp and ready in his hands. "SHUT UP!" he commanded. He had had enough of Corneo's attempts to waste their time, and he had had pretty much enough of this pointless escapade.

"Just listen to me – it won't take long," Corneo said earnestly, desperate to buy time for himself. He was backing up onto the ledge again, his hand slowly edging towards the peculiar metal object hidden in the ground. "Why do you think a bad guy like me would swallow his pride and plead for his life? 1 – Because he's ready to die. 2 – Because he's sure to win. 3 – Because he's clueless."

Cloud rolled his eyes. He knew Corneo was just stalling for time – trying to think of some way he could save his own pathetic hide. "Three," he answered finally, deciding to humour him for a little while.

"Hmm…!" Corneo sniggered. "Close, but no cigar!"

Before anyone could react, Corneo quickly spun round and pulled on the metal object behind him. It was actually a remote lever that he had quickly set up when he tied Yuffie and Elena to the statue, and it was connected to the metal plates that they were tied onto.

As he pulled the lever, the mechanism whirred. Seconds later the metal plates began to slowly turn, and Yuffie and Elena turned along with them. By the time the plates stopped turning the two women were hanging upside down on the plates, pointing headfirst into the rocky chasm where Rapps lay dead.

Elena had closed her eyes while the metal plates had turned, but as they had stopped she slowly opened her eyes. She found herself looking straight down into the chasm, which looked much closer now she was upside down. "Eyaaaah…!" she screamed in fright, closing her eyes again.

Beside her, Yuffie was furious. "Makes me so MAD…!" she snarled angrily. She continued to wriggle even though she was upside down, but nevertheless she still could not break free of the ropes.

"If I push this button," Corneo was saying, as Cloud and the others all gasped and stared at the two hanging women. "They'll fall upside down, and we'll have a SQUASHED TOMATOES!"

No one bothered to correct his grammatical error. Cloud turned and glared at Corneo through fierce blue eyes, trying to see any sign that he might have been bluffing. Yet there was no sign in Corneo's eyes that said to him that he was lying, and he really meant to drop the women. If he were to drop Yuffie and Elena from this height, they would surely be killed the moment they hit the rocks.

"Damn…!" he cursed, knowing that they could not make any form of attack as long as Yuffie and Elena were pointing into the chasm. They were now at Corneo's mercy.

Tifa curled her lip as she looked at Corneo angrily. "Coward," she said.

Corneo did not seem to care much about her insult. He was smiling now, all the memory of Rapps completely wiped from his mind. His anguish had now been replaced by the sheer thrill of excitement that came with the knowledge that he had once again got the better of the group. "Now, give me your women too!" he ordered them sternly, the manic grin of enthusiasm returning to his face. He saw Cloud's angry glare, and laughed. "Ha, ha, ha, ha! I guess I'm the one laughing last!"

"No, that would be us."

"Hee-haw. What…" Corneo asked, opening his eyes and looking around. "What's goin' on? Who's there?"

He looked up past Cloud and the others, and his eyes opened wide into a true expression of fear as he saw Reno walking down the path behind Cloud and his party. Although he didn't recognise Reno individually, he recognised the trademark uniform. That blue uniform was the designated uniform of a Turk. He had dismissed the uniform as mere chance with Elena, but now that Reno had arrived he was truly afraid. "…The Turks!" he said.

Reno did not respond. He calmly walked past Cloud and the others, ignoring their gazes as they followed him across the path. He came to a stop on the thumb of the statue, and flicked his hair out of his eyes. Then he looked at Corneo. "You knew this was gonna happen ever since you leaked that secret," he said. "We're going to take care of you… personally."

"DAMMIT!" Corneo shouted, those words cutting into his heart more than Cloud's sword ever could. He feared the Turks far more than he could ever fear Cloud and his group. His entire body was trembling. "Then they're all goin' with me!" he shouted, and turned to push the button beside the lever.

Before his hand could get anywhere near the button, a black blur suddenly zipped through the air. It struck Corneo in his side, and the man staggered forward in surprise, trying to maintain his balance. He staggered all the way to the edge of the cliff, and waved his arms frantically to keep from falling over. He lost the battle for balance and tumbled over, his hands grabbing onto the edge. There he hung, holding on for dear life. Reno smiled and looked up at Rude, who was standing on another path at the back of the statue.

"Good timing, Rude," he said.

Rude adjusted his shades and slowly nodded his head. "…Let's get to work," he said simply.

Reno nodded in agreement, and walked carefully down from the thumb and towards the spot where Corneo was hanging. He looked down at the hanging man for a second or two, before bringing his foot down on Corneo's hand. Corneo cried out as he felt the firm leather crushing his hand. If Reno were to release him now, he would fall to his death.

"All right, Corneo," Reno said sternly, leaning over to look Corneo in the eye. "This'll be over quick, so listen up. Why do you think we went to all the trouble of teaming up with those guys to get you…? 1 – Because we were ready to die. 2 – Because we were sure of victory. 3 – Because we were clueless."

Corneo tried to think of which was the right answer. It was hard to think because he was hanging from the edge of a cliff, but he eventually understood enough to answer. "Two… Number Two?"

Reno shook his head. "All wrong."

Corneo's eyes widened in fear. "No…! Wait, sto……!" Reno then lifted his foot, and Corneo slipped from the edge. "Aaaaaaaaaa……p!"

No one watched him land. The only clue to his demise was the fading of his last scream, followed by the heavy thud as his body hit the ground. Aeris flinched as she heard that thud, and turned her head away. Corneo may have been a sick man, but this was another reminder that the Turks were not to be messed with.

When the final echoes of Corneo's dying thud had died away, Reno turned away from the cliff edge and closed his eyes. "The correct answer was…" he began.

"…Because it's our job," finished Rude. Reno opened his eyes again and nodded at his partner, satisfied that they had completed their mission.

Meanwhile, Elena was still hanging upside down from the statue. "Oh, thank you very much…!" she called out to them, the gratitude clearly audible in her voice and visible on her face. "I never expected you to come help……"

Reno snapped his head around and looked up at Elena, glaring at her through narrowed eyes. "Elena, don't act so weak," he told her sternly. "You're a Turk!"

"Y…Yes, sir!" Elena replied. Reno smiled and shook his head, secretly relieved that Elena was all right.

"Thanks for your help," said Aeris.

"……" Rude muttered silently, turning his head away from them.

Reno was about to say something more, but right then a loud ringing sound suddenly began to buzz from inside his pocket. He turned away from the group and pulled the cell phone out of his pocket, flipping it open and putting it to his ear.

"Yes… this is Reno," he answered, listening to the voice on the other end. "Yes…" He glanced over at Rude and nodded his head slightly. Rude seemed to understand what Reno meant in that nod, and folded his arms. "Yes… I'll get on it right away." He flicked the phone off, and slipped it back into his pocket.

"Was that the company?" asked Elena.

Reno nodded. "Yeah, they want us to find Cloud…" He turned back around to face Cloud and the others, who were all still standing silently behind them. Cloud narrowed his eyes and quickly put his hand to his sword again, ready to fight them if necessary.

To his utmost surprise, Reno made no move to draw his weapon, which was clearly visible underneath his jacket. Nor did Rude make any move to jump over to them, even though he could make the jump easily. In fact, neither of the Turks made any move to attack them. Reno just stared at Cloud intently, saying nothing.

"Are we on…?" asked Rude, breaking the silence.

Reno stared at Cloud a few seconds more, before glancing at Reno. "No, today we're off duty." He looked back at Cloud and nodded reassuringly. For a moment Cloud wondered whether or not to believe him, but then he relaxed his hand, leaving his sword behind his back. He would give the Turks the benefit of the doubt this time.

"Hey---who cares about any of that?" came Yuffie's angry voice, as she was still hanging upside down from the mountain. "Get----me-----down----!"

* * *

Now back in Yuffie's house, Yuffie leapt around the room, darting from one person to another as she slipped the materia back into the slots of the weapons and armour. Her hands moved like lightning, zipping in and out of the brown bag where the materia was stored, pushing it into an available slot before jumping to the next person. She didn't take note of who got what materia – what was important was that she was finally giving the materia back at last. 

"Phew, perfect," the young ninja said, as she finished putting in the last piece of materia into Barret's gun-arm. "Now the materia is back in its rightful place."

"Hey…" Cloud said, looking down at the amulet around his wrist and his blade. "The placement of it is all messed up."

Yuffie sidled over and looked over Cloud's shoulder. Sure enough, Cloud had a completely different set of materia from what he was used to. Instead of lightning, he had ice, and instead of the Ramuh materia, he had Choco/Mog, as well as the Cure materia.

"Huh?" Yuffie said. She tapped the materia gently with her finger, and then shrugged. "Oh, it'll be all right… Don't be so picky! Anyways, that sure was close…… Now, normally I would kick their butts. Boom, Bang!" She began to punch and kick the air, acting as though she was beating Corneo and his dragon pet to a pulp with her bare hands, swiping her shuriken across the air.

Everyone watched and stared at her as she did her little show. They couldn't believe that she was acting as though nothing had ever happened. If it hadn't been for her, they would never have had to go through all that in the first place. Yuffie's ego really was something to be trifled with. Cloud looked over at Tifa, Vincent, and Cait Sith, and they nodded.

"That Corneo guy's a real pain," Yuffie was saying. She had turned away from the whole group now, standing at the far end of the living room. She was oblivious to the silent conversation going on behind her – the way Cloud turned to the other side of the room and nodded at the rest of the group. "I'd rather deal with my dad than deal with that guy. Oh, by the way, some of those guys from the Turks are good, huh? At least, after all that, we got the materia back. Now come on everybody, let's continue our journey…"

At that point she finally turned around, and jumped as she saw that she was standing alone in the room. The others had all left, walking out while she was in the middle of her rant about the materia.

"……Hey!" Yuffie called out angrily, realising that she had been left behind. "W……wait! Oh, all right. Here, I'll give this to you guys. Here, look, look!" She jumped up and waved a single piece of materia in the air – the piece that she had snatched from Cloud's hands in the Item shop. "………… Come on, wait---! No matter what anyone says, I'm going with you!"

She lowered her arm and looked down at the glimmering ball of materia resting in her hands. After a second or two she closed her fist around it, and quietly slipped it back into her pocket.

"…Next time…" she said, before running out of the house after the others.


	19. Part 07: Chapter 19

**_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_**

Now that the 'Up the Pagoda' Bonus Instalment is complete, I can finally get on with this second instalment. From hereon in we are moving out of Wutai and on towards the Gold Saucer. There will be a bit of originality in this chapter, since I want the Battle Square battles to be held in the next chapter. If no one has read the Bonus Instalment, which focuses on Yuffie's battles up the Pagoda in Wutai, check out my profile and you'll find it in there. Anyway, prepare for some originality in here as we finally get on with the fic!

* * *

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Cloud and his companions left Wutai as quickly as possible, heading back into the winding mountains and bridges to where they had hidden their plane. Despite leaving her behind in the village Yuffie continued to follow them. Eventually they had given up, and accepted the fact that no matter what they said, Yuffie would tag along with them anyway.

They moved briskly out of the village. They were keen to get back to the cove where they had hidden the broken down plane. The Turks had already moved on, and that meant that if they didn't get a move on, they would fall further behind the Shinra. They desperately needed to catch up to the Shinra again if they were ever going to find out where the Temple of the Ancients was.

They still had no idea where this elusive temple was. Even Aeris, who was an Ancient by birth, had no idea where it was. In fact, she had barely even heard of it, except maybe in passing tales told by her mother before her untimely death. All that seemed to exist of the temple were legends and rumours. But the Shinra seemed to believe it existed, so their one hope lied in following them.

Yuffie did not stop talking even for a second as they entered the mountains, crossing the long wooden bridges towards the cove. She droned on and on about how she would have fought Corneo on her own, despite being tied up to the face of Da-Chao. The mountain of Da-Chao was fading fast behind them, fading quickly behind the setting sun, which was now beginning to slide fast across the horizon. It would surely be dark by the time they reached the cove. As she walked, Yuffie cradled her new weapon, a Razor Ring, since her old shuriken had broken during her fight with her father in the pagoda.

The others had replaced some of their weapons as well, since the Weapon Store allowed them to purchase some new weapons once Yuffie was back in their time. Tifa had accessorised her fighting gloves by tipping the knuckles with hard studded diamonds – perfect for delivering cutting blows. Barret had been drawn to a chainsaw accessory for his gun-arm, attaching it to the front just above the gun-barrel. Vincent had even upgraded his gun to a Shortbarrel, selling the old one as payment. Cloud was probably the only one who did not change his weapon. He didn't really feel able to part with his large Buster Sword. It almost had sentimental value, and he didn't feel right in giving it up just like that.

They strolled quickly through the darkening mountains, keeping their voices low as they discussed where they should head. Aeris suggested maybe they head back to Rocket Town and ask around there, but Cid assured her that there was no one in Rocket Town who would know anything about the Temple of the Ancients. Red XIII suggested they visit Cosmo Canyon again, and ask Bugenhagen if he knew the whereabouts of the temple – if it existed. Barret suggested they go to Nibelheim and force information out of the actors there, but Cloud and Tifa quickly dismissed that idea. They didn't want to go back there if they could help it.

After much argument and discussion, they finally reached the cove where the Tiny Bronco was hidden. It was still secure at the top of the beach, the ocean surf moving in gently across the sand. As they had predicted it was almost completely dark, the mountains casting dark shadows across the beach. They could see the ocean and the lands ahead of them, but it was a strain. So they wasted no time pulling the plane back into the water, where they all climbed on and set off into the ocean.

The sky became considerably darker as they set off on their little 'boat'. The Tiny Bronco hummed quietly in the water as they sailed away from the mountains, the propellers turning and throwing up bubbles of spray onto the group. As they reached the deeper parts of the ocean they turned the engine onto full power, and sailed as quickly as they could across the ocean. They wanted to get to Cosmo Canyon before it was too dark for them to see where they were going.

They had little hope of reaching Cosmo Canyon before nighttime really set in. In fact, once Wutai slipped behind them, the sky was black and dotted with stars. All they could see was the faint grey of the ocean waves as they tilted over the edge of the plane, and the faint outline of land in the distance.

It took them an hour to reach the continent again, and another half an hour to reach the plain of rocks and grass where the mountains of Cosmo Canyon stood tall in the night. Small lights on the front of the Tiny Bronco showed them the land just ahead of them, and up in the distance they could see the fiery lights of Cosmo Canyon, standing silently like a beacon.

Unfortunately they could not get close enough to disembark. The Tiny Bronco's lights enabled them to see a few metres in front of them, but they were not able to show them the deadly rocks that lay beneath the surface of the ocean. The river was the same. Their buggy had been able to cross the river with ease, but the plane was nowhere near equipped to handle the unseen battering from jagged rocks. Cid was not prepared to let his precious plane become any more damaged than it already was, so it was impossible for them to land at Cosmo Canyon that night.

"It's no good," said Cloud, as he looked around at the others. "We'll have to think of something else. We can't risk sinking the plane." He narrowed his eyes. He could barely see their faces in the night, their bodies' darkened silhouettes. They could see him though – the Mako glow in his eyes shimmered faintly even in the night. He sighed. "I think we should just head to the nearest inn and try coming back when it's light. I doubt the Shinra will do much at night."

The others all muttered amongst themselves. The nearest inn was probably a good few miles away, or even on the other side of the continent! Before anyone could grumble Cid turned back to his controls and slowly turned the plane away from the shore. It turned steadily, the engine continuing to hum soothingly as they began to sail out into the ocean again.

They tried to sleep as the plane drifted along. Cloud took the first watch, sitting next to the controls where Cid was piloting. The air pilot refused to let anyone else handle his precious plane, even if it meant staying up all night. The others all curled up as best they could on the back of the plane. At first it seemed an impossible task to sleep in such a small space, but pretty soon the sound of Barret's loud snoring filled the nighttime air.

They followed the coast slowly around the continent, Cid manoeuvring the plane so that they stayed a safe distance from the cliffs to avoid being caught by the rocks. The ocean was calm and peaceful, and as Cid leaned over to look into the water he could see the dark silhouettes of fish swimming beneath the surface. Seeing them made Cid's stomach rumble, but he couldn't risk letting go of the plane so he could catch one with his spear. So he suffered with his hunger, and continued to steer.

Gongaga passed them by – faint, flickering lights between the close huddle of trees keeping warm in the night. As they turned the corner of the continent and slowly headed north, a chill northern wind hit them and made Cloud shiver. He envied Vincent in his warm cloak, and Cid's thick jacket.

Aeris slept softly as the plane sailed along. She was huddled up close to Red XIII, using the warmth of his fur as a blanket to keep her warm. The hound didn't notice the chill wind passing through his fur, but when a sudden strong gust blew across the bare skin of the Ancient's arms, she woke and slowly lifted her head. We're still sailing, she thought silently to herself. She looked at Red XIII, watching as his tail twitched sleepily across the edge of the plane. The tail flickered over Barret's face as he slept. Barret's face twitched, and he pushed the tail aside, turning over and continuing to snore.

Aeris smiled. Everyone looked so peaceful. She couldn't think of anything better than this moment – all of them lying together peacefully underneath the stars. If only their situation wasn't so pressing, then they could all sit and enjoy this moment. She looked a little further along the plane and saw Cloud, staring out silently into the ocean. Aeris opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut her mouth. Cloud's eyes were closed, lost in thought. Aeris laid her head gently on Red XIII's breathing chest, and continued to watch him.

After a few minutes Aeris turned her gaze back to the north. The plane passed an embankment and opened up to reveal the next part of the continent. A bright glow caught Aeris's eye and she slowly sat up, pushing her brown hair out of her eyes.

Cloud saw it, too. It was not exactly hard to miss, for it was so bright and surrounded by many lights of numerous colours that someone would have to be blind to miss it. They were the lights of the Gold Saucer, shining brightly in the middle of the continent. The lights flared up into the sky, moving like dancers across the stars. Even from this distance they could hear the faint sounds of screams, coming from the amusement park's thrilling roller coasters and other games.

Cloud, sensing that someone was watching him, turned to look at Aeris. The young woman was looking back at him with a happy smile on her face. Despite the troubles that had occurred last time they visited the Gold Saucer, the park had been an exciting place to visit. It was also where they had picked up Cait Sith, the somewhat-bad-at-fortune-telling-machine. The cat was curled up on the top of his magical Mog, using his megaphone as a pillow. Cloud turned away from Aeris and looked at the Gold Saucer, wondering if they could rest there.

As he was looking out, something flickered and caught his eye. He looked back toward Aeris, and gazed at the cliffs that were lowering steadily beside them. At first he saw nothing, and wondered if he had just imagined seeing something. He was about to turn away again, when the movement came again. Cloud narrowed his eyes, straining to see through the darkness.

There it was again, a small light shining amidst the darkness. Cloud stared, wondering if maybe the night was just playing tricks on him. He rubbed his eyes, pushing back his own fatigue, and looked out again. The light was still there, faint but definitely visible, shining out from a patch of darkness. At first Cloud thought that it was a monster, until he realised that it was a simple electric light, coming from a small building that stood close to the edge of the small cliff.

"Cid, stop," Cloud ordered. Cid did as he was told and brought the plane slowly to a stop in the middle of the ocean. Cloud carefully stood up on the plane, causing it to rock gently beneath his feet.

The rocking caused the others to wake, Cait almost falling off his Mog and into the water. Red XIII caught him just in time, catching him in his jaws and lifting him back onto the Mog. Barret, annoyed at being woken up, snapped rudely at Cloud in his usual, course language. Cloud ignored Barret and pointed out at the light. Slowly everyone turned to look, and stared at the light.

"What place is that?" asked Tifa, once they had all agreed that the light did belong to some sort of building.

Cloud shrugged his shoulders. His eyes were heavy and his legs aching, desperate to move somewhere other than across the edge of the plane. "Does it matter?" he asked, rather snappishly. "The point is it's a place to stop." He looked down at Cid. "Can we land here?"

Cid looked up from his controls. "I ain't no sailor!" he snapped back. He was tired, too. All Cloud could see of Cid was the glowing orange light of his cigarette, which moved up and down as he spoke. It was becoming impossibly hard for them to see anything. "Don't worry," Cid assured him, calming his tone. "I'll set ya down on the beach further up."

He turned the engine down to half power, and carefully steered the plane towards the thin river that separated the Corel and Forest Plains. Cloud sat back down on the plane as it moved, feeling it rock precariously as he stood. Thankfully there were no rocks for them to fear on this side of the continent, and pretty soon the soft, sandy banks of the beach appeared alongside them. Cid pulled the plane slowly towards the beach before turning off the engine, letting it float forward on its own momentum before he jumped out and began to pull the plane onto the shore.

When the plane was secure, Cid took out his cigarette out of his mouth and threw it onto the floor. "There ain't no need for all of us to go," he said, pulling his cigarette packet out from behind his goggles. "I'm gonna stay here and look after the Tiny Bronco. You investigate if you want. I'm gonna wait right here."

"If you are going, I will come with you," Red XIII said to Cloud. Cloud looked down at the hound, confused. "In this darkness it would be quite easy to get lost," he explained. "Not to mention that I can smell any monsters that come near."

Cloud nodded in agreement. It was probably best that Red XIII travelled with them. In the darkness, where they could barely see the ground in front of them, they would probably end up walking straight off the edge of the cliffs without someone to guide them. Cloud didn't fancy falling to his death, fumbling around in the dark. He looked around at the others, waiting for another volunteer to come with him and Red XIII. After a few seconds Tifa ran forward and stood by Cloud.

With their small party set, Cloud, Red XIII and Tifa left the Tiny Bronco behind and headed out towards the source of the light. The others, exhausted after a long day of hiking and fighting, clambered back onto the Tiny Bronco to wait for their return. The hut was visible from where they had landed, no more than a five-minute brisk walk in the darkness. They sat on the plane and peered out into the darkness, waiting for their friends to return.

* * *

Tifa sighed with such relief as she, Cloud and Red XIII finally reached the hut. When they started walking she had not realised just how worn out her body was. Now her legs were aching, her muscles burning, and her gloves felt like ten-ton weights on her hands. She was even feeling a little bit dizzy, since she hadn't eaten or drank anything since Rocket Town.

Cloud looked at her with concern, but did not say anything. Tifa's hair hung heavily across her face, but he could tell that she was exhausted. She looked ready to drop to the floor in a heap, and sleep until the next year. Cloud couldn't blame her. He felt the same as she did. No doubt the rest of them felt the same.

They reached the hut. It looked to be nothing more than a hut, since it was built from simple wood that was dark from years of weathering, but still standing. Cloud figured it was an emergency store, built for travellers who needed to stop and get supplies, or simply to hide from monsters. The door was ajar, so Cloud peered inside.

It was a shop. As he looked in his eyes fell on many shelves and cases that were full of weapons, armour and other handy supplies. The shopkeeper was standing at the bottom of the stairs just beyond the door, sweeping at the floor vigorously with a strong, twig brush.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Cloud waved his hand down to Red XIII, who was standing beside the door with his claws flexed, ready to fight if necessary. Seeing the signal Red XIII nodded and settled back on his haunches. He would wait for Cloud and Tifa outside the shop until he was needed. He yawned loudly and settled down on his paws, his eyes gazing up as Tifa and Cloud walked past him and entered the shop. Then he closed his eyes, keeping one ear alert for their return.

The sudden change from dark to light hurt their eyes as they entered the shop. Tifa blinked while Cloud shielded his eyes with his arm, straining to adjust them so he could see what was ahead of him. The door swung slowly shut behind them, and as it clicked closed the shopkeeper suddenly became aware of their presence and turned in surprise. He stared at the two in surprise, surprised that there would be customers out at this time of the night.

"Huh?" he asked. He rubbed his eyes and blinked as though he was dreaming, wondering if he wasn't just seeing things. Clearly he didn't get much business. When he realised he wasn't dreaming, he set his brush down by the stairs and walked over to Cloud and Tifa. "Oh, another customer. You sure picked an out of the way place, but…… But if it's the 'Keystone' you're looking for, you're too late. Don't have it."

Finally Cloud's eyes adjusted to the light, and he could see the shopkeeper clearly. "Keystone?" he asked, tilting his head. He had never heard of the item before. He glanced at Tifa, who shrugged, and then walked off to one side of the shop to examine some of the items.

Again the shop owner seemed surprised and scratched his head in bewilderment. "What? You didn't come here for that?" he asked. Cloud shook his head in reply. The shop owner tried to explain, keeping one eye on Tifa as she set about examining a pair of leather gloves at the back of the shop. "The 'Keystone' is the key that unlocks the gate to a very old temple somewhere. You're not going to believe your ears, but I heard it was the Temple of the Ancients!"

That statement caught Cloud off guard, and he almost staggered back in shock. Tifa, also surprised to hear the mentioning of the temple, dropped the case she was holding onto the ground. It landed with a loud thud, but thankfully did not break. She blushed and picked up. The shop owner walked over to her and took the box from her, accepting Tifa's embarrassed apology for being so careless.

"The Temple of the Ancients…" Cloud muttered quietly to himself, thinking hard. Could it really be possible that out of all the places they could have stopped, they had stumbled on the one place that knew something about the Temple of the Ancients? It certainly appeared so.

The shop owner put the box back on the shelf and looked at Cloud. He saw the young man's serious expression and laughed loudly. "Don't take it seriously!" he advised. "It's just a legend!"

Cloud caught Tifa's gaze, and knew what she was thinking. The shop owner clearly didn't believe in the Temple of the Ancients, but he was beginning to think that it was more than just a legend. The Shinra were heading there, which meant that Sephiroth was heading there as well. "Where is the Keystone?" he asked curiously.

The shop owner seemed to hesitate for a second, an anxious look in his eyes. "I sold it already," he replied finally. He scratched the back of his head, and looked rather sheepishly at Cloud. "Yeah well, to tell the truth, I didn't want to sell it but… That guy had a way about him that made you feel like it may not be a good idea NOT to sell it to him…"

Hearing that, Cloud's first thought was that he was talking about Sephiroth. He quickly changed his mind, because he realised that Sephiroth was not the type of person to wait to be sold an item that he wanted. Especially if it was something as obviously important as the Keystone. No, Sephiroth would simply have killed the shop owner the moment he entered the shop, and then, with the owner lying in a pool of his own blood, Sephiroth would have taken the Keystone for his own.

Looking at Tifa again, he saw her mouth the word 'Shinra' silently. Cloud shook his head. It wouldn't have been the Shinra either. Like Sephiroth, if the Shinra wanted something, they would not wait around and bargain. They would take it, by force if necessary. Just as Palmer was prepared to steal the Tiny Bronco if Cid did not give it up willingly to the Shinra. So if the Shinra didn't buy it…

"Who did you sell it to?" Cloud asked, out of ideas.

"The manager of the Gold Saucer," the shop owner replied. He didn't notice Cloud sigh with relief under his breath, and carried on talking. "Think his name was 'Dio'. Said he was going to put it in his museum, then he took off out of here."

That was all the information that Cloud needed. He nodded his head at Tifa, who bowed politely to the shop owner and then headed for the door. She opened the door, letting a cold breeze blow through the door. Red XIII opened his eyes and looked up at her as she came out. Cloud was about to follow Tifa, when he suddenly stopped and looked back at the shop owner, another question in his mind.

"Where is the Temple?" he asked, just out of curiosity. He didn't really expect an answer, but it didn't hurt just to ask.

As Cloud expected, the shop owner rolled his eyes at Cloud. "Come on… it's only a legend," he insisted. He found it hard to believe that Cloud was taking the legend so seriously, since half the time legends turned out not to be true. "But if it were true, that sure would be something, huh? Now that you mention it, I have heard of something called Ultimate Destruction Magic that was supposed to be hidden somewhere in the Temple of the Ancients."

"Ultimate Destruction Magic…?" Cloud repeated, his hand grasping the wooden frame of the door. Somehow those words left a dark feeling in the pit of his stomach, and sent a faint chill down his spine, but it could have been the wind and his hunger. He shook his head, and quickly headed out of the door, leaving the shop owner's desperate protest behind him.

"Come on! I told you not to take it seriously!"

* * *

**Emerald:** Yay, another chapter. Finally we are getting onto the bit that inspired me to start writing this novel again. Last time I tried to write it, I stopped at Shinra Headquarters (rescuing Aeris) because I was getting bored. Then, I got this one flash of an image during the Gold Saucer Battle Square fights, and I started writing it again.

**Cloud:** You do realise that you've had that image burning in your mind for over a year and you're only JUST getting to that bit?

**Emerald:** YES! I will write that bit even if it kills me!

**Cloud:** Bear in mind people this inner clip she had lasted about two seconds…


	20. Part 07: Chapter 20

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty**

It was very strange, sitting in the air cab, watching the ground pass by far beneath them. When they last used the air cab they had been a party of six. Now they were a party of nine, and it was a bit of a squash fitting everyone into the cab. Somehow they had managed it, and now they were travelling briskly through the air towards the Gold Saucer once again.

It felt like such a long time since they had first come across the amusement park. In truth it hadn't been more than a few days since they had encountered the park, but with everything that had happened to them it felt much longer than that. A few days felt more like weeks, and months since they left Midgar.

Like before, Aeris and Tifa pressed themselves firmly against the windows of the cab and peered out at the ground rushing by slowly beneath them. The land looked very different at night. It appeared strange and mysterious, with an air of omniscience that left them feeling a little chilled. They blamed it on the fact that they couldn't see much of the ground in the shadows, and the desert was almost invisible.

Around them the others all sat silently, waiting patiently for the air cab to arrive at the Gold Saucer. No one was particularly chatty. They were all feeling worn out, exhausted, and not in the mood for any talking. Even Yuffie had stopped her energetic talking, curled up on the seat with her knees at her chest, her head resting against Cait Sith's Mog body.

Vincent was sat in the far corner of the cab, peering out of the window as they approached the Gold Saucer. The enigmatic man had not said a word from the moment they had stepped into the cab, taking his seat by the window before anyone could stop him. He had his arms folded, head low in thought, and his red eyes glancing at the lights sweeping across the Gold Saucer.

He was thinking about their journey so far, or, rather, his journey since he joined Cloud and his companions. He had left the cold comfort of his Nibelheim prison in the hope that he would come across Sephiroth and, more importantly, Hojo of the Shinra. So far he had encountered neither of the two, and was beginning to wonder whether he would ever find them. Cloud and the others seemed more intent on finding Sephiroth, but it was Hojo that Vincent wanted to find. Lucrecia…

Vincent was broken from his thoughts when the air cab gave a sudden, soft jolt. He looked up as the bright lights surrounding the cab became dark, suggesting that they had entered the tunnel leading to the Gold Saucer's entrance. The cab shuddered again as it touched the ground, and the cables outside squeaked loudly as the cab slowed. Seconds later they were back in the light again, and the cab was now perfectly still.

"Here at last," Aeris muttered, pulling herself away from the window. She brushed herself off, sighing as she realised that her clothes had a few faint stains of dirt that she couldn't brush off. She then picked up her staff from the floor. It seemed much heavier in her tired hands, and she longed to put it down for good.

They disembarked from the cab, Cait Sith first, and stepped into the Gold Saucer station. It was just as they remembered it, with the man dressed as a baby chick plodding around in his big, heavy suit, and the woman waiting at the entrance to greet visitors. She seemed surprised to see visitors arriving at such a late time, but she still managed to greet them with a genuine smile.

"Welcome to the Gold Saucer," she said cheerfully. Cid bowed his head to the young woman, amazed that someone could still be so cheerful so late at night.

Leaving the others at the entrance to sort out the verification of the lifetime pass, Cloud walked through the main entrance and stood in the main Station. Even from down here he could still hear the music and cries of delight from the floors above. It reminded him of their first visit, when they entered the Gold Saucer for the first time. The last time they had ended up being arrested for the murder and assault on several Gold Saucer staff and customers. They hadn't been at fault, but still, memories like that were not the kind you expected to get from an amusement park.

Cloud stopped in the middle of the Station and looked up at the large virtual map on the wall. According to the map all the attractions were open, but there was no mention of a museum anywhere. Cloud gazed slowly over the map, trying to decide which place would be a most likely spot for Dio to hold his museum.

"The Battle Square is the most likely place to look." Cloud jumped and turned as Cait walked up and stood beside him. The cat put down his megaphone and sat on the Mog's head, letting his tiny red boots tap against the Mog's forehead. He lifted up his crown and scratched his head. "Feels weird bein' back here."

Cloud nodded in agreement, but said nothing. He looked back at the map, gazing at the icon that represented the Battle Square. Cait was probably right – if Dio was going to hold a museum of special artefacts, the Battle Square was the most likely location.

It suddenly occurred to Cloud that Cait never did find the answer to his fortune telling. Cait initially joined their party for the sole purpose of finding the answer to a rather bizarre fortune reading he had given when reading Cloud's fortune. Cloud had asked Cait to locate Sephiroth but, instead of getting a direct answer, Cait's Mog had given the answer: 'What you pursue will be yours. But you will lose something dear.'

Cloud turned to Cait, about to ask about the fortune reading. The cat was already moving, heading towards the transport pipe that led to the Gold Saucer's Battle Square. Before Cloud could say anything the Mog jumped in, and he zipped towards the Battle Square. The others walked in just as the cat disappeared down the shoot, and looked at Cloud expectantly. Cloud shrugged his shoulders, and headed for the pipe.

* * *

As Cait had told them, Dio held his museum in the Battle Square. It was no surprise really, considering what he kept in his collection. The group had missed the museum on their first visit – they had been too preoccupied trying not to get blamed for the horrific murders. The doors to the museum were always left open, allowing visitors to enter and admire Dio's collection.

Dio's collection was truly a sight to see. He had a vast collection of trinkets from various places, most of which they had never seen before. There were goblets and giant clocks, spears and a mask known as 'Chisa's Mask', and even a portrait of Dio himself at the back of the room. It reminded them a little of Yuffie's basement and her family's collection of shuriken's and other such items. This collection however was more varied and much tidier, and it was clear from the shine in the metal that Dio took great care in keeping his collection spick and span.

The Keystone was at the far end of the museum. It had been placed on an altar at the end of the room, and kept on a velvet cushion inside a protective glass case; it was visible for all to see. It didn't look particularly fancy, but the peculiar markings that covered its surface told them that it was no ordinary item, and left no doubt in their minds that it was the Keystone.

Cloud stepped up to the case, forced to stop by a red cord that stopped everyone from getting too close to any of the items. He peered inside. "It's the Keystone…" he confirmed, reading a small piece of card in front of the Keystone. Everyone crowded around him to look.

They were all so absorbed in staring at the peculiar Keystone that they never heard Dio enter the museum and stand behind them. He had come to close the museum for the night, as well as to admire his collection one more time before he turned in. When he saw Cloud and the others there he smiled, recognising Cloud, and walked up behind them.

"Heh, heh, heh," he laughed. Everyone jumped up and spun around, their hearts skipping a beat in surprise, even though they hadn't done anything wrong. Dio grinned at the surprise he had caused, and looked at Cloud. "Long time no see, my boy." He glanced past Cloud to see what they were all admiring, and saw that they were looking at the Keystone. "Hmm? You like that, huh?"

Cloud glanced back at the Keystone and nodded. On its own it was a rather strange but beautiful object. Although its markings were indecipherable, it left quite an impression on the human mind. Out of all of them, Aeris had been the only one who did not jump when Dio came in. She was too transfixed looking at the Keystone, her green eyes wide as she gazed upon it. Cloud glanced at her for a second, before pointing to the Keystone.

"Can you let me borrow this?" he asked.

Dio laughed again. "Heh, heh, heh. Sorry, but it's not for rent," he said, his laughter fading and his voice sounding rather firm. He saw the disappointed look in Cloud's eyes and folded his eyes, thinking. An idea suddenly came to him and he smiled. "Hmm," he said, looking at Cloud. "Since you've been good to me in the past, I'll let you have it on one condition."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "One condition?"

"Heh, heh, heh," Dio laughed, nodding his head. He slapped his large hand against his bare chest, creating a loud echo around the museum hall. Then he pointed at Cloud firmly with his forefinger. "Entertain me!"

Cloud glanced at the others. They nodded. "What'd you want me to do?" he asked.

Dio's eyes lit up in delight, and he rubbed his hands together gleefully. "Hoo-boy! Heh, heh, heh." The look in his eyes made Cloud a little worried, wondering what he had just signed up for. Seeing the anxious gaze, Dio shook his head. "It's not something that's really difficult," he assured the young man. "This is the Battle Arena. Show me your fighting skills. Just you, my boy." He put his large hand on Cloud's shoulder and looked firmly into his eyes. "I'm expecting a good fight!"

* * *

While Cloud was in the waiting room, preparing himself for the battles ahead, Dio led Tifa and the other companions through the side doors and up to the balcony that overlooked the Battle Arena. Dio had prepared excellent seats for them, and they could see the entire arena. Dio sat in his own personal box at the other side of the balcony, and did not join them.

Tifa was anxious as she sat in her seat, her hands fidgeting nervously. She had heard many stories about the Gold Saucer's Battle Square, a lot of them not exactly favourable. Dio used real monsters in his fights. There were often reports of people being seriously injured in these fights. There had been no deaths, but that didn't make her feel any better. There was no way she could help Cloud if he got into trouble either, since thick glass barriers separated the balcony from the arena. All she could do was sit and watch and hope.

Dio explained that the rules of the Battle Square were very simple. You have to win, he had said to Cloud, before leading the others off. That was stating the obvious. The Battle Square fights were made up of eight rounds – a single fighter against a selection of different, powerful monsters. With each round the fighter wins, a limitation is placed on them in the next round. These limitations ranged from status effects like blindness, to the removal of their materia, or, even, their weapons. They were allowed to fight in any way that they could, and could quit at any time. Dio assured Cloud that he didn't have to win all eight fights, but he had to go as far as he could. Cloud agreed.

He didn't have to wait long for his turn in the arena. The Battle Square was quiet at this time at night, and the entrant before him hadn't lasted even two rounds in the arena. The man came out, panting and sweating, his feeble-looking sword broken in two. Cloud watched as he staggered out. A loud screech came from inside the arena, and Cloud turned as two of Dio's strong guards tried to push a bird-like creature back through the caged doors at the other end of the arena. Cloud swallowed.

The call then came for him to enter the Battle Arena. Cloud swallowed again, surprised to find a lump in his throat from his anxiety. He raised his hand behind him and clasped it firmly around the hilt of his sword. He remembered Tifa's warning before he left them, echoing in the back of his mind. 'Don't put yourself at risk – come out if it gets too hard.' Cloud pushed the lump in his throat away, and then ran through the doors into the arena.

There was a chorus of loud cheers as he ran out. Cloud gazed upwards as he ran across a short wooden bridge. He saw the others behind the barrier, looking down at him. Yuffie was on her feet, jumping and cheering, with Cid beside her. The others were all sat solemnly. Tifa was the only one not looking at the arena. She was staring at the ground, overcome with worry. Cloud thought of saying something to her, but now was not the time.

He turned back to the arena. The large wooden gates of the monster arena were already open, revealing the dark shadows that clouded his sight from seeing which monsters would appear first. He soon saw darkened figures begin to emerge from the shadows inside the gate, and he drew his sword and held it ready. He tried to drown out the noise of the small crowd watching him up in the gallery. He needed to focus all his attention on the monsters that came out of the doors.

The first monsters stepped out of the doorway and into the light of the arena. Cloud recognised them instantly as Dual Horns – muscular beasts like oversized bulls with the faces of hounds. They ran on all fours, with swollen muscles underneath their furry skin. Their mouths were large and always open, revealing the strong set of teeth they used to bite their enemies. Their most lethal weapons, their horns, rose out of the sides of their heads. Two long, thick, pointed horns, used to impale their prey. There were two Dual Horns here, and Cloud had to kill them both. Up in the gallery Cloud heard Tifa gasp.

The two beasts stomped out of the doors and onto the wooden arena floor. The floor shook with each step they took. Cloud readied his sword, his blue eyes fixed on the two monsters. One of the Dual horns looked at him, glancing at him through tiny eyes barely visible through the muscles of its face. It growled deep within its throat, before suddenly charging at Cloud.

Cloud barely had time to react. He had not expected the monster's sudden attack, and before he could realise what was happening the monster was right in front of him, its two horns lowered for a deadly strike. Seeing the flash of yellow from the horns Cloud hurriedly leapt to his right out of the way. He made it out of the way, but felt the creature's body scrape past his back. That had been close.

Cloud stopped at the edge of the arena and turned to look at the Dual Horn, still charging past as it tried to slow and stop. It let out a grunt of anger as it realised it had not struck its prey, but it could not turn and attack again until it had stopped, the size of the arena preventing it from running around. Cloud sighed briefly. He heard a second, louder grunt come from right behind him, and Cloud spun around. The second Dual Horn was standing right behind him!

Swiftly Cloud jumped up into the air, narrowly missing the monster's sharp horns as they were thrust forward where he stood. Cloud landed on the monster's head, but did not remain there for long. He leapt up into the air again, throwing his Buster Blade ahead of him, before twisting his body around so that he was flying backwards through the air, facing the Dual Horn's back. There was a gasp from the crowd.

Sighting the monster ahead of him, Cloud quickly thrust his right arm out in front of him, using his left hand to keep it steady. As he began to fall towards the ground his right hand began to glow a deep, fiery red, as the Fire Materia he had borrowed from Tifa glowed brightly in his armlet. Sparks of red and orange flame began to swirl like mist around his hand. Then, with a gust of hot wind, the fire power shot out from the mist in the form of five red fireballs towards the Dual Horn's back.

The fireballs struck before the Dual Horn could realise that Cloud was gone. They struck its back, one by one. The monster lifted its head and gave out an almighty cry of pain and anguish as the intense heat of the flames burnt through the flesh of its back. Three of the fireballs hit its back, and the last two struck its hind legs as it tried to run forward. It crumpled onto the floor, roaring in anguish.

Cloud landed on the ground, raising his hand to catch his blade as it came flying down from above him. He stopped to look at the monster, lying on its stomach, claws digging into the wood, pathetically trying to crawl on its two front legs. Flames licked steadily across the back of the monster's body. Cloud felt sorry for it.

Making up his mind, Cloud ran forward with his blade raised towards the monster. As he neared he swung it in front of him, thrusting the wide blade forward with all his might, and the monster was silenced forever. Cloud withdrew his sword, the blade stained black with the monster's blood. There was no need for it to suffer. As he withdrew the blade there was a loud cheer of excitement from the crowd above. Before Cloud could look up, the first Dual Horn was charging towards him, and he turned to strike.

The crowd gave another gasp as Cloud's blade connected with the sharp horns of the Dual Horn. They had watched a number of people fight in the Battle Arena, most of them amateurs wanting to show off. This was the first fight they had seen where the fighter was a skilled professional, and made them sit on the edge of their seats.

Aeris was silent as she watched the battle, her stomach turning in disgust. She thought it absolutely terrible that Dio would bring live monsters into the arena and have them fight for other people's pleasure. When the other people had cheered at the Dual Horn's death, she had felt sorrow, feeling its life being snuffed out. She was happy that Cloud had been merciful, giving it a swift end instead of letting the flames consume it. She had no doubt that Cloud also hated this pointless slaughter, but he had to go through with it if they were going to get the Keystone. So she swallowed hard and closed her eyes, wishing the battles would end quickly.

The crowd cheered again as Cloud dealt the killing blow to the remaining Dual Horn, his blade piercing the thick flesh of its chest and going straight through to its heart. The monster slumped forward, and Cloud had to quickly withdraw his blade. He stepped back away from the dead monster, glad that it was over and he could progress to the next round.

While the bodies of the two dead Dual Horns were removed (much to Aeris's relief), Cloud walked over to one side of the arena. There was a small slot machine embedded in the wall that Dio informed him would assign his handicap for the second round. Dio had also warned that the handicaps would be either damaging or favourable depending on the result. Cloud held his breath and pulled the lever.

The first slot began to spin round rapidly, so fast that Cloud was unable to see the options spin by. As he watched the slot began to slow down, and Cloud held his breath as he waited to see the result. Eventually the slot stopped, and Cloud opened his eyes.

The slot had stopped, and written on the panel in front of him was the word 'Cure'. A small hatch opened up in the side of the wall and a faint green mist swept out. Cloud closed his eyes and sighed with relief as a cooling wave washed over him. He felt the fatigue of lack of sleep, hunger and exhaustion get pushed back, and his body felt temporarily refreshed as it would after a good night's rest. The mist swept around him and then faded, and Cloud turned back to the arena to see his next opponent.

Cloud watched as they were hauled out, kept still by thick metal chains to keep them from flying off until it was time. Cloud's next opponents were a pair of dragons known as Ancient Dragons. They were medium-sized dragons that walked on their hind legs, their front arms shorter than their legs. Their wings were made of thin leather that made them very agile flyers, using their agility for their attacks rather than their claws. The claws were merely to grip onto prey, holding them still while the dragons attacked them with their sharp teeth. Beady dragon eyes glared out from the dragons' long snouts, letting out a painful screech as they struggled to break free of the chains.

With his sword lowered by his side, Cloud stepped back onto the arena floor. He stopped just inside the red circle that designated the starting point for the fights, and looked over at the two dragons. They were both about twice the size of Cloud, fully grown for their species. The two dragons screeched loudly as they glared round at the arena, their wings flapping wildly, desperate to break free of the strong chains that kept them from flying away.

One of the dragons tried its hardest to fly forward, thrusting its head forward and flapping its leathery wings mightily. The two guards holding onto the chains struggled to hold onto it, barely able to keep the dragon down. Realising it couldn't get free the dragon turns its head completely around and snapped its jaws at the guards, trying to bite his hands off. The guard jumped back, startled, but did not let go of the chain.

Dio, who was still watching the fight from the safety of his own private box, stood up and waved his hand down to the guards, signalling the dragons release. The guards hurriedly began to unlock the chains, moving quickly since the dragons were becoming angrier at their captivity.

Eventually the last chain was unlocked, and the two dragons shook themselves free of their shackles. The guards fled as the dragons flapped their wings and rose up into the air, flying up as high as the balcony where the crowd gasped and awed at their majesty. They may not have been like the dragons of legend, but they were still amazing creatures to look at.

On the ground, Cloud too, was awed by the majestic flight of the two dragons. In awe of their slender, sleek bodies and perfectly detailed scales, and the way their tongues licked out of their mouths to taste the air. Cloud shook his head and steadied his sword. This was no time to be in awe over dragons.

He pulled himself together just in time too, for as the two doors of the monster arena slammed shut, the two dragons both turned in the air and began to dive down. Heading straight for Cloud.


	21. Part 07: Chapter 21

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

The two dragons dropped from the sky, one after the other, folding their wings by their sides to give them more speed. Horrific screeches of delight escaped their throats, their eyes bright in their desire to kill. As they screeched they opened their jaws wide, their teeth glinting like sparkling razors in the artificial light of the arena. Through their dim vision that was their only weakness, they could see the darkened, blurred shape of the human that was their prey.

The lead dragon reached the human first. The monster, seeing its prey get closer, drew back its head, preparing to thrust it forward in a quick and deadly assault. It neared. When the monster was close enough it thrust its head forward and snapped its jaws with all its might. It longed to savour the taste of living flesh in its mouth—the sweet taste of fresh blood trickling down its throat.

But the human saw the dragon approaching and was prepared for its attack. One of the many strange balls attached to his armour and weaponry was glowing faintly, its energy steadily building up. When the dragon lunged for him, the human quickly jumped up into the air. He missed the lethal snap of the jaws and sailed harmlessly over the creature's back. The dragon, realising its prey had escaped him, screeched and pulled its body upwards, swerving away from the floor to avoid crashing into the floor of the arena.

The human had proved to be a tougher opponent than the dragons had first anticipated. The more intelligent predators of the monster world, the dragons had judged the human to be an easy target for them. But the marks of that miscalculation were evident on their bodies—deep bleeding scars on their wings and snouts, oozing layers of thick, black blood across their skin. The human was formidable, that was certain.

Cloud turned his attention to the second dragon. It was approaching him fast. Its jaws were open so wide that Cloud could see right down into its throat—the hungry red flesh that longed to taste his blood and flesh sliding down its throat. Cloud drew his sword back, the blade beginning to flicker in electric light.

When it was ready, Cloud swung his blade forward. The sword missed the dragon by a mile, but the built-up electricity fired from the blade in a single ball of electric light. The dragon only realised what was happening when the ball flew straight into its open mouth.

The dragon drew back, shrieking piercingly as the electricity licked the inside of its mouth. The sparks crackled across its teeth and pained its soft flesh. Instead of human blood trickling down its throat, its own blood flowed freely inside its mouth. Its body writhed and shuddered in agony, convulsing as the electricity travelled further into its body. As the sparks reached its heart, the dragon gave one last dying screech and began to fall.

A cheer erupted from the crowd above. Yuffie was out of her chair, jumping up and down and cheering in delight at the thrill of the battle. She yelled at Cloud, but he couldn't hear her above the cheering. The crowd had doubled in size since the start of the battle—the crowd drawn to the Battle Arena after hearing of a spectacular battle going on. Most of the seats were filled now, filled with awestruck spectators.

Cloud reached the arena wall as the dragon crashed onto the floor. A pole stuck out of the side of the wall, and Cloud quickly grabbed onto it to stop him falling. Steadying himself on its thin surface his eyes scanned the arena, searching for the remaining dragon.

"Above you, Cloud!"

Cloud looked up at the sound of Tifa's yell. The dragon was above him, diving down from the ceiling at tremendous speed. There was not enough time for him to use the Lightning materia. The dragon was much too close. Instead Cloud leapt from the bar towards the ground.

He jumped just in time. A split second after he leapt from the wall, the dragon landed right where he had been standing. The dragon had reared its body back at the last second, bring its claws forward to catch Cloud and hold him still. But Cloud had escaped from its grasp, instead digging into cold metal and solid rock. The dragon tightened its claws furiously, before it too pushed itself away from the wall and continued to dive after Cloud.

Cloud landed on the arena floor, not noticing that the dragon had landed right behind him. Before Cloud could even think about turning or moving the dragon shoved him in the middle of his back with his snout. Losing his balance, Cloud toppled over and tumbled onto the floor. His sword clanked onto the floor beside him. A sharp pain struck his leg and Cloud cried out. A dark shadow fell over him.

In its moment of triumph, the dragon lifted its head and roared gloriously to the crowd. The piercing levels of its screech made the glass barriers of the balcony shudder violently, so much so that Dio feared they would shatter. It was piercing, even to the crowd, who covered their ears and winced at the sound. The dragon ended its roar and lowered its head, its narrow eyes falling upon Cloud.

Glancing over his shoulder, Cloud saw the dragon standing over him. Its right foot was on the back of his lower leg, the sharp claws cutting through the fabric of his trousers and into his skin. He could feel its breath—hot and thick with the stench of dead flesh—brush against his skin. Cloud slowly moved his hand towards the handle of his sword, just within arm's reach.

The dragon lunged.

Cloud swiped his sword.

Aeris leapt from her seat.

Silence fell upon the arena. There was not a single sound—not a breath, not a cough, not even a blink. Not even Yuffie, standing on her chair with her shuriken cradled loosely in her arms, made a sound. Aeris was pressed against the glass, her palms spread across them, her eyes wide as she gazed into the arena.

Tifa let out a small gasp.

In the centre of the arena stood the dragon, caught in mid-lunge, motionless. Its head was frozen in the middle of that lunge, its jaws wide and its teeth glaring, but the dragon's eyes had forever lost their vicious sparkle. Its arms were spread wide but unable to move. Not even its clawed fingers were able to twitch. Lodged in the middle of its chest was the blade of Cloud's sword, with black blood oozing steadily down the side of the blade.

Slowly, carefully, Cloud withdrew the blade from the dragon's chest. The blood stuck to the blade as he drew it out, seeming like black glue that stretched disgustingly across the metal. When the blade was free Cloud pushed himself back and stood up, his leg coming free easily from the dragon's slackened grasp.

The dragon remained frozen for a few seconds more, its lifeless eyes glaring emptily at Cloud. Then, finally, it began to fall. Its arms fell limp. Its winged crumpled up like paper against its body. Its head fell forward. The dragon landed on the arena floor at Cloud's feet, its tongue lolling limply out of its mouth.

At that moment the silence broke and the crowd erupted into cheer. Barret was out of his seat now, jumping up and cheering along with Yuffie and Cid. Red XIII nodded his head slowly, impressed by the battle. Tifa, clapping gently, turned to look at Cait Sith. She was surprised to find that the cat was no longer sat beside her, and the balcony door was open.

As the bodies of the two dragons were removed from the arena, Aeris sank back into her seat, her head low. Through the thick folds of her fringe she peered down at Cloud. Eyes closed and sword lowered, he was breathing heavily. She watched as he reluctantly headed for the slot machine, to determine the handicap for the next round.

Yes… she realised. There were still more rounds to go.

* * *

By the time the sixth round came to an end, Cloud's body was broken with exhaustion. The muscles of his arms and legs burned terribly. His lungs ached so much that it hurt to even breathe. His sword was so heavy in his hands that it was almost impossible to lift. He held it weakly in trembling hands, using all of his strength just to still the shaking. 

He had had enough. He couldn't go on anymore—not right then. The far doors opened and the men began to drag away the body of the giant bird beast he had just killed. Cloud turned his head and looked up at Dio, his eyes saying the words that he just could not form in his mouth right then.

Dio nodded, understanding the look in the young man's eyes, and rose to his feet. He waved one large, muscle-bound hand at the men below. They nodded back and bowed slightly. The fight was officially over.

Cloud retreated from the scorching arena, slipping back into the cool air of the waiting room. The doors shut loudly behind him, cutting off the ecstatic cheers of the crowd. Once he was alone he let himself fall back against the doors and slid slowly to the ground. Sweat dripped profusely down his cheeks. His hands itched underneath his gloves, so he pulled them off and rubbed his hands across his face.

Cloud sat in the silence of the waiting room a few minutes more, waiting for the crowds outside to disperse. After those few minutes his breathing had returned to normal, and the beating of his heart had slowed back into its normal rhythm. He had closed his eyes, letting his head roll back against the cold door, gazing into the darkness. He almost fell asleep, to his surprise, until he remembered that the others would be waiting for him outside, eager to claim their prize.

Reluctantly Cloud climbed to his feet. He groaned as he moved, feeling the muscles of his thighs ache and burn with fatigue. Those were going to be painful in the morning. He pushed the pain of his aching muscles aside for the moment and headed towards the door, where the others would be waiting for him.

He saw his companions immediately. They were gathered together outside the entrance of Dio's museum, chatting loudly about the fights. Cait was back with them now, and had said nothing about his sudden disappearance. When they saw Cloud come out of the doors they ran over to him. Cloud accepted their congratulations with a smile, hoping that the weariness he felt inside wasn't showing on his face.

The string of cheers and congratulations was broken when a large, firm hand gripped Cloud's shoulder. Cloud winced, since the hand had gripped a rather painful bruise that he had picked up during the fights, hidden underneath his shirt. He turned his head and saw Dio standing beside him, a large smile on his deeply tanned face. The man then motioned to the museum, and Cloud and the others followed him through.

They gathered inside the museum again. They watched Dio as he went to the back of the museum, walked over the red cord, and carefully lifted the glass case off the altar. He lifted the Keystone from its velvet cushion and walked back to them. He stopped in front of Cloud.

"Hmm, you did pretty well, young man!" Dio said proudly, patting Cloud on the shoulder again and making him flinch. "Good, it's a promise, so go ahead and take it. I'll give this to you, too."

Dio dropped the Keystone into Cloud's hands. Cloud looked down at it. It was much lighter than he had expected, weighing almost the same as a ball of their Materia. It was very smooth to the touch, and also incredibly cold. Whatever extraordinary powers the Keystone held must be buried deep within its surface, within the strange markings that covered its surface.

He looked up to see Dio handing a very odd-looking jacket to Cid. It was more of a vest rather than a jacket, and was made of very small, interlocking circlets of metal to create a firm but flexible shield. This also was extremely light, much to Cid's surprise.

Now that all the gifts had been given out, Dio looked around at the group gathered around him. He smiled. "Well then," he said cheerfully, bringing their attention back to him. "We shall meet again! Heh, heh, heh."

Dio then turned and walked out of the museum, chuckling as he walked out of the door. When he was gone the companions gathered around Cloud to examine the Keystone. All except Cid, who was still staring in bewilderment at the metal vest he was holding in his hands.

"So this is the Keystone?" said Red XII, leaning in to sniff the stone in Cloud's palms. It did not carry any kind of magical smell—not one that Red XIII recognised. It smelt like a rock, but it also carried a deep smell of something he could not identify.

"Looks like it," said Barret.

Vincent crossed his arms and closed his red eyes. "I would advice that we take it away from here as quickly as possible." When the others turned to look at him, he said, "If this is the key to unlocking the Temple of the Ancients, then the Shinra will also be looking for it. If they discover that it is here…" He let the sentence hang.

Everyone's eyes turned to the Keystone. Vincent was right. It was too dangerous to keep the Keystone here. The Shinra would be hunting for it. On top of that, Cloud remembered, there were suspicions of a traitor amongst them…

Cloud shook his head gently. He did not want to think of there being a traitor in the group. Hurling accusations at one another would destroy their group—he couldn't risk that. He looked around at the worried faces of the others. Were they all thinking the same? While they were watching Cloud slipped the Keystone into his pocket, ensuring that everyone watched him do it.

"Let's go."

They left the Battle Square, which was empty now that the crowds had gone. The only people who stayed behind were the desk staff, who had gone back to looking bored now that all the excitement had gone. They waved farewell as the group left.

They walked down the long set of stairs leading to the airlifts, talking about where they should go. It was beginning to get very late indeed, and no one fancied spending the night on the plane. Red XIII suggested they go to Costa del Sol—it was the closest town with a welcoming inn, since they highly doubted the people of North Corel would welcome them.

So it was decided. They would use the plane to travel along the coast to the beaches of Costa del Sol. They would spend the night in the inn there and when morning rose they would begin looking for the Temple of the Ancients.

The companions emerged from the airlifts, landing one after another in Gold Saucer Station. The Station was empty, but to their relief the doors were still open. The Gold Saucer never closed, officially, yet they often closed their gates at a certain time for safety. The others followed Cloud as he walked through the doors, apart from Cait. He stayed behind a brief moment to readjust something on his Mog.

The air cab was still there, standing exactly where they had left it. It stood silently on the tracks, shadowed slightly by the gaping mouth of the Mog tunnel. Inside, the shadows of numerous people could be seen moving around, illuminated by the electric lights that occasionally flickered on and off. Cloud glanced at it, but didn't think anything of it at the time.

The woman was still there. She held a clipboard in her hand now, and was hurriedly looking over notes that she had scribbled down roughly in pencil. She chewed the end of the pencil, concerned. When she heard Cloud and the others move towards her she turned and ran over to them. Her face was creased with worry now, and she could no longer manage her smile.

"Excuse me, sir." Her voice sounded tired and strained as she spoke. Her hair was now a mess underneath the hat, and the end of the pencil had been chewed to ribbons. "The Tram is out of order right now."

Maybe it was just the growing fatigue that was clouding Cloud's brain, but at first he could not comprehend what the woman was saying. He looked at the air cab, then at the woman, then at the air cab, and then at her. "…So?" he said.

"I'm really sorry!" the woman exclaimed. She bowed down at him, moving so suddenly that her hat nearly fell off her head. She spoke while she bowed, "I'm afraid you won't be able to leave until it's fully repaired."

Cloud sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. He ran his hand firmly through his blond hair. He tugged gently on the longer spikes that fell around his cheeks; trying to push back the gnawing headache that was beginning to grow as the night wore on. He turned to face the others, and saw that they all looked the same. Weary. Cloud shrugged. Clearly they were not leaving the Gold Saucer that night.

"What's wrong?" piped a voice, the only cheerful voice, from behind them. The others all turned to see Cait Sith bounding happily out of the door towards them. He stopped as he saw their tired, weary faces, surprised at the sudden change.

Then Cait spotted the air cab. He understood immediately. Cloud could have sworn that, for a moment, a smile flickered on the cat's face. But then again, that was probably the exhaustion playing tricks on him. Either way, it didn't really matter. They were all stuck in the Gold Saucer.

"Too bad," the cat said finally. He walked the Mog forward so that he stood beside the group. "It happens, though. I know! Let's stay at the hotel! They know me here. I'll go talk to them." Before anyone could stop him he jumped up, and bounded off through the doors and out of sight.

Cloud sighed, wondering how Cait could still be so cheerful. Behind him, the woman bowed again. "I will let you know once the repairs are completed," she said.

* * *

At first Cloud didn't say anything. He looked around at the interior of the hotel with wary eyes, wondering what kind of horrific world he had stepped into. 

The hotel was located in the Ghost Square, and was built to look exactly like an old haunted house. Directly in front of the hotel was an artificial graveyard filled with ancient tombstones. Carved onto the front of these tombstones had been names, the name of all the different area of the Gold Saucer. The tombstones weren't exactly tombstones, but rather the hidden airlifts leading out of the Square.

Inside the hotel was not a comforting sight either. The main hall where they stood was tall and grand, with tables covered in dust and grime. An old grandfather clock was ticking silently by the wall, and the floorboards creaked loudly under their feet. There was a warm fire burning—apparently, for it was only artificial—with two ghosts sat comfortably in chairs around it.

Aeris had received a terrible shock when she went up to the main desk to ask about their rooms. There had been no one behind the desk when she approached, and rang the bell to call for assistance. When she touched the bell there came a deafening scream, and then a large dummy of a dead desk clerk fell down and hung in front of her, its neck tied to a rope and its head lolling in front of her. What scared her more was that the dead clerk spoke! In fright she had screamed and jumped back into Cid's arms, where he caught her.

"We don't usually get the chance to be together like this, huh?" Cait said happily, once the major shock of the haunted hotel had passed. He still sounded cheerful, even in this gloomy place. He turned to Cloud. "Cloud, how 'bout it? Can you tell us what's happened so far? I don't really know what's goin' on because I wasn't here in the beginning."

Cloud, his attention broken from the figures of the ghost, which were flickering in and out of sight like the flames of the fire, turned to find everyone looking at him. "Yeah!" he heard Cid exclaim. "I'm all for it!"

"Good idea," Vincent agreed, slowly nodding his head. He gazed at Cloud from behind the long lengths of black hair that fell around his face. Cloud met the gaze of those red eyes, feeling the intensity of their stare as he waited for Cloud to explain.

"I been here since the beginnin' an' I still don't know what the hell's goin' on either," Barret snapped fiercely. He banged his fist loudly on one of the tables as he spun around to face Cloud. "Cloud, the hell's goin' on? C'mon, tell us!"

Cloud looked around at the others. Tifa, Aeris, Red XIII, Yuffie… they were all looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to explain what was going on. For a moment Cloud began to feel angry. Why did they always turn to him for explanations? He was as confused as they were about the whole situation. He had no idea what was going on, other than what they all already knew.

Still, the gazes of the others refused to look away, so Cloud took a deep breath and swallowed the faint, rising anger. "All right, I'll give it a shot…" he began. He took another deep breath and sighed. "Phew… We are going after Sephiroth. Sephiroth must be in search of the Promised Land."

"The Promised Land?" asked Cid, confused.

Cloud nodded. He had forgotten that Cid, being the newest of their group, had not been told everything about Sephiroth, the Ancients, and the Promised Land. "A land full of Mako energy…" he explained. "Or at least that's what the Shinra believe. I don't know if it actually exists."

"The Cetras return to the Promised Land," Aeris continued, taking over since she, as an Ancient herself, knew a little bit more about the Promised Land than Cloud. "A land that promises boundless happiness."

"Cetra?" asked Barret. "That some kinda disease?"

Aeris turned around to face him. "That's what the Ancients call themselves," she said to him. "Hey, didn't you listen to the elders at Cosmo Canyon?" Barret shifted uncomfortably where he stood, not wanting to admit that he hadn't listened to the elders at all. Aeris sighed and turned back to the others. "…You don't 'know' where the Promised Land of the Ancients is. You search and travel, until you feel it. Like you just know, '…this is the Promised Land.'"

"Aeris…" said Cloud, looking at her. "Can you feel it too?"

Aeris closed her eyes in silent thought, quietening her mind as she searched to hear the call of the Planet. She could barely hear it—the Gold Saucer was so vast and full of people and noise that the calls could barely reach her soul. But they were there, all the same. Eventually she opened her eyes and looked at Cloud. "I think so," she said finally.

"So Sephiroth is travelling the world because he's searching for the Promised Land?" said Tifa, summing up everything that Cloud and Aeris had said. She shook her head vigorously, her forehead creasing in confusion. She looked up. "Is that it?" she said.

Slowly Aeris shook her head. "That, and one other thing he's searching for," she said carefully. She looked at Cloud, knowing that he knew what she meant.

Cloud met her gaze. The look in his eyes showed that he did know what she meant, and that it filled him with the same dread as it did her. "The Black Materia…"

An ominous silence fell down upon the group. None of them had heard about the Black Materia before, but they all knew what it meant. The Black Materia… the Ultimate Destruction Magic… Thinking about it left a strange, dark chill in their hearts, making them shudder. The Black Materia was rumoured to lie inside the Temple of the Ancients… If Sephiroth was aiming to get a hold of the Black Materia, who knew what would happen to the Planet?

Cait, who had been lying on his stomach on top of the Mog, sat up. "I heard from Dio that a man in a Black Cape was lookin' for the Black Materia," he said.

The Black Caped men… They had encountered a bunch of those people in Nibelheim. They had been like walking zombies—their bodies covered in black robes to hide their faces, twitching and shuddering as though overrun by a terrible fever. Imprinted on their arms had been a number—presumably some kind of designation. There had been only two thoughts on their minds: finding Sephiroth, and joining in the Reunion.

As Cloud remembered, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. What was the Reunion that Sephiroth and the Black Caped men kept talking about? What Reunion? And what was wrong with those men?

Cloud shook his head faintly, pushing away the faint pounding and dizziness that plagued his mind. When that brief dizziness passed by he realised that Tifa was talking.

"I don't even know what the Black Cape is… How many men with Black Capes and number tattoos are there?"

"…You know, of course…" Red XIII answered hesitantly, his voice soft, almost to the point of a whisper. "My tattoo is number 13." He nodded his head to the black tattoo burned onto his left shoulder, with the numerals 'XIII', marking 13.

Cloud lowered his hand from his head and looked over at the hound. "How did you get that tattoo?" he asked Red XIII curiously.

Red XIII looked down at the deep, blackened mark of the numerals. "…Hojo put it on me," he said with a snarl, curling his furry lip in a sign of disgust. "Everything else is just war scars, but the number was done by Hojo."

Tifa gasped. "So there are at least 13?" she exclaimed in horror.

"You know…" Aeris said, her voice seeming as hesitant as Red XIII's. "…I think Hojo did something to those men in the Black Capes. But I don't know what it has to do with Sephiroth though… That's why I think we should just go after Sephiroth himself."

"Yeah, me too!" said Barret, once again banging his gun-arm on the edge of the table, making Yuffie jump and the holographic ghosts flinch in their seats. "It's all just too damn confusing."

"And…" Aeris began. Her voice suddenly seemed to choke and she halted, unable to speak any more. She turned pale, but only Cloud noticed. "I'm sorry, forget it!" she cried out suddenly. "I think I'm tired. I'm going to bed now." Before anyone could stop her, Aeris suddenly ran past the group and darted up the creaking stairs to the bedrooms. She ran to the room assigned to her and threw open the door, running inside and slamming it shut behind her.

When the echo of the slamming door faded, the others all looked at one another in surprise, completely taken aback by Aeris's sudden departure. "What was that, all of a sudden?" Cait Sith exclaimed, voicing everyone's thoughts.

Yuffie was outraged. "What? That's it? I'm goin' to bed!" At first everyone thought she was just reciting Aeris's departure, until she too began to run up the stairs towards the bedrooms. The group below watched as Yuffie also ran into one of the bedrooms, also throwing open the door and slamming it shut.

Cait looked back at the others in dismay. This conversation had suddenly taken a turn for the worse, and he didn't know how. "Is that all?" he asked, disappointed. "How 'bout the Black Materia?"

Cloud shook his head. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you," he said caustically. He had had enough of this conversation as well. It was late, he was tired, and the pounding in his head just seemed to increase as the conversation went on.

"Now all we gotta do is take action!" Barret shouted loudly, making Cloud cringe. Did he have to be so loud? Barret, however, didn't seem to notice as he continued to shout, "We're startin' tomorrow!" Then he ran up the stairs, his big, heavy boots creating loud thuds to join in the chorus of never-ending creaks.

When Barret had disappeared up the stairs, Red XIII walked slowly over to Cloud. "Cloud…" he said quietly, a concerned look on his face. "I'm number 13. Am I going to go mad, too?" Cloud looked at Red XIII, unable to answer.

"I don't know what Hojo did to you, but you've been all right so far, right?" said Tifa.

"But…"

"Be strong," Tifa advised him.

"But, I…"

Tifa lost her temper. "Stop it, Red XIII! Be strong!" Red XIII fell silent and shrank back, his eyes turning away to avoid Tifa's angry stare.

Cloud stared at Tifa in surprise. He had never seen Tifa act like this before. She looked really, really angry with Red XIII. This wasn't like her. "Tifa?" he asked.

But Tifa didn't hear him. "You're not the only one who's worried!"

At the other end of the room, Cait Sith rocked gently back and forth on top of his Mog. "I don't know what's goin' on, but we're in a bad situation…" he muttered, mostly to himself.

Seeing that the productiveness of the conversation was over, Vincent turned to Cid, who was sat behind him. "Hey Cid, let's go back to our rooms." He stopped and blinked, gazing upon the chair.

"…zzzz…zzzz…"

Cid was already asleep.

* * *

**Cloud: -throttling Emerald-**After all that time of waiting and writing, you didn't even include that one little bit you had planned to put in! What was the point in all that daydreaming then, you baka? 

**Emerald: **X.X


	22. Part 07: Chapter 22

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Twenty minutes after, when everyone had retired to their rooms, Cloud stood alone beside the window in his assigned bedroom. Despite his excessive weariness, he had found himself unable to sleep. Instead he stayed close to the window, peering out through the dusty windows into the graveyard below. Despite the eerie setting, there were other things on Cloud's mind that were preventing him from sleeping.

What troubled him the most was the growing urgency to find Sephiroth. It had been a long time since they had any sight of him—since Nibelheim in fact. Who knew where Sephiroth was now? He knew where Sephiroth was going—the Temple of the Ancients. But for all Cloud knew, Sephiroth could already be there, waiting for them. He could already have the Black Materia.

The Black Materia… That was another thing that was pressing on Cloud's mind. The Black Materia was the ultimate destruction magic—probably the most powerful material to exist on the Planet. Did it truly exist, like the Temple? What would happen if Sephiroth used it? Cloud shook his head. He didn't want to think of that. They would just have to stop Sephiroth before that happened. Still… there was a fear deep inside him that… just maybe…

He was interrupted from his thoughts by a loud knock ringing on his bedroom door. Cloud turned his head and glanced at it through the corner of his eye. The oak door slowly creaked open, and Aeris's head peered round the corner. Her eyes met his and she smiled cheerfully, before stepping into the room and quietly swinging the door shut behind her. Then she walked towards Cloud, the smile still on her face.

Seeing that strange, cheerful smile, Cloud stepped backwards warily. What was with that smile? What was she planning? Aeris, somewhat amused by Cloud's startled reaction, just grinned further. "Hee, hee!" she giggled, never taking her eyes off him.

Cloud stared at her in surprise. What was with this sudden change in demeanour? Not even half an hour ago the woman had surprised them all by suddenly departing for her bedroom. She had seemed upset then, but no one knew what it was that had upset her. Now here she was, laughing and smiling, as though nothing had happened. "What's wrong?" Cloud asked her. Maybe the smile was just a façade.

The smile on Aeris's face seemed to get wider. Her eyes were lit up like a child's, full of innocence and playfulness. Cloud stared. The last time he had seen her eyes light up like that was back in Midgar, when she had ran into the park in Sector 6. She had seemed so much like a child then, and her smile reminded him of that moment.

Stopping in front of him, Aeris clasped her hands behind her back. She leaned forward, lifting her head to gaze into Cloud's eyes. "You want to go on a date?" she asked him suddenly.

Cloud blinked. "What?"

"A DA-TE!" Aeris repeated loudly. "Or haven't you ever gone on one?"

Cloud stared for a couple more seconds, before shaking his head. "Don't take me for a fool," he snapped. Suddenly he stopped, as he realised just how snappy he had sounded. He hadn't intended to snap at her like that. He put his hand over his mouth and looked at Aeris, wondering if he had offended her.

But no, Aeris continued to smile at him. Either she did not mind his harsh response, or she just expected it. Whatever the reason, it did not dent the woman's smile even a notch. "Hey…" she said playfully. "A little touchy, aren't we?" Before Cloud could reply she ran behind him, placed her hands between his shoulder blades, and began to push him towards the door. "Oh well, come on. Let's go."

"Hey," Cloud protested, trying to turn his head around to glare at her. But when he saw her happy, determined face, he sighed. He wouldn't win against her. So he gave up his struggle for freedom and let her shepherd him towards the door.

The hotel corridors were shadowy and quiet now. The other companions had all gone to bed and were sleeping silently in their rooms. Barret's door was ajar, and as Cloud and Aeris walked past they could hear the big man snoring loudly. Through the shadows they could even see him, sprawled out across his bed, his sheets in a tangled mess around him.

Cait Sith was at the end of the corridor by the stairs. The Mog body was bent over slightly, its arms hanging loose. Cait's body was curled up on top of the Mog sound asleep. Or at least he appeared to be sleeping. As the two approached they noticed that there were no mechanical sounds emanating from the cat, indicating that he had somehow turned himself off.

Silently they began to walk down the stairs. Cloud led the way, walking down carefully so that the stairs would not creak loudly underneath the weight of his heavy boots. Aeris walked silently behind him, her hands plastered across her mouth as she stifled a giggle. It was so funny—they were like naughty children creeping out of bed in the dead of night. This was like a mini adventure to her. They tiptoed through the main hall with haste, relieved that the spooky holographic ghosts had been turned off for the night.

When they finally emerged from the hotel, Aeris ran forward to the centre of the graveyard. She stood amidst the old stone tombstones and stretched, pushing her arms high up above her head. Behind her Cloud leaned against the closed wooden doors and sighed heavily. But he had no time to rest, for Aeris quickly ran back over and grabbed his hand, dragging him towards the grave tube that would take them both back to the Station. Cloud had no choice but to comply. Aeris was in the mood for fun, and no amount of protesting would make her change her mind.

They entered the transport tube together. When they approached the gravestone marked 'Station' the ground in front of the stone fell open, revealing the tunnel. They jumped in together, and it carried them swiftly all the way down to the Station. Wind gushed past their ears and Aeris laughed in exhilaration. Cloud glanced at her. The wind gushed so loud past his ears he could not hear her laughter, but he could see it shining on her face.

They zipped past all the levels, and eventually reached the Station. They burst out of the tunnel with a soft pop as the wind pushed them up and into the air. They seemed to hover for a minute before landing safely on the ground. Aeris shook her head, pushing her hair back into place. Those tubes were fun to travel in.

While Aeris was sorting out her clothes and her hair, Cloud looked around the Station. The main doors were shut now. Even if the cable car were fixed they still would not be able to leave Gold Saucer that night. He turned around to face Aeris, when he spotted one of the Gold Saucer staff standing beside the tubes. When the young man met Cloud's gaze he gave them an exaggerated bow and spoke.

"Tonight's Enchantment Night! All the attractions are free," he announced, his voice filled with excitement. He stood up and waved his hand at one of the tubes beside him. "How 'bout it you two? There's going to be an entertaining show in the Event Square!"

Hearing that, Aeris spun around to face Cloud. The look in her eyes said it all. Her green iris's sparkled at him in anticipation. "Come on, let's go." Without even waiting to hear Cloud's answer she turned and ran for the tube marked for the Event Square. She jumped in without hesitation, letting the wind carry her swiftly to the upper floors. Cloud sighed and headed for the tube. Was there any point trying to say no?

He took the tube straight to the Event Square. Aeris was waiting for him beside the exit, jumping up and down on the tips of her toes, pointing through the door. There was a lot of noise beyond that door—a lot of cheering and chatter, and the blazing glow of fluorescent lights. Cloud hesitated, but Aeris simply grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him—rather roughly—through the door and onto the balcony.

The Event Square certainly was packed. Nearly all of the benches were full—filled to the brim with cheering, squawking people. It seemed as though the show had not started yet, for the stage at the far end of the Square was empty. More fluorescent lights were beginning to flicker on and light the stage. The sound of the cheers grew louder at this, for they were eager to see the exciting show.

Once again Aeris's eyes lit up in sheer delight. Her hands, clenched together in front of her, trembled in exhilaration. She ran forward to the edge of the balcony and peered down into the crowd. She wanted the best seats for the show. Someplace where she could see EVERYTHING.

But as she quickly found out, the choice of seating was not going to be a problem. For as Aeris leaned over to see past the crowds, another member of the Gold Saucer staff, this time a young woman in her early twenties, walked over to her and Cloud.

"Congratulations!" she said loudly, making Aeris jump. She was forced to shout, for the cheers of the crowd drowned out her voice. "You are our 100th couple today! You two will be the leads in tonight's show!"

The response she got to this announcement was a mixed one. Cloud stared, horrified, his blue eyes widening into an expression of shock and horror. 'Wha?' was about all he could must for a reply. Meanwhile Aeris, who was already high from the waves of exhilaration roaming throughout the park, squealed in delight.

Seeing the horrified expression on Cloud's face, the woman quickly smiled and waved her hand calmly at him. "Oh, now, it's not hard," she assured him. "Just play it however you want to and the rest of the cast will cover for you." She then turned away and began to walk across the balcony to the staff doors. Pausing for a moment, she looked back and motioned for Cloud and Aeris to follow her. "Come this way."

"H, hey!" protested Cloud, but it was no use. The woman was already walking and the cheers of the crowd prevented his voice from reaching her. A hand patted his shoulder. Cloud turned around to see Aeris standing beside him. She gave him a reassuring smile and nodded in the direction the woman was walking.

"This sounds like fun," she said. She moved in front of Cloud and turned to face him. "Come on Cloud, let's do it." Like before she took his hand firmly in hers and began to drag him after the woman as she led them towards the stage. He would do this play—whether he wanted to or not.

* * *

Five minutes later everything was ready. The cast were ready and the stage was set. The curtain, still lowered, twitched as people ran back and forth across the wooden stage making their final checks. On the other side the crowd could be heard, impatiently waiting for the show to start. 

They didn't have to wait for long. The stage lights flickered and dimmed down to almost nothing and all at once the crowd hushed into silence. The thick red curtain began to rise, revealing the simple stage that had been prepared for this show. The crowd clapped loudly. The narrator then stepped onto the stage and raised his hand, silencing the crowd. When all was silent, the narrator spoke, his voice loud and clear so every member of the crowd could hear him.

_"Long, long ago… An evil shadow appeared over the peaceful kingdom of Galdia… Princess Rosa was just kidnapped by the Evil Dragon King, Valvados. What will become of her? Just then, the legendary hero, Alfred, appears!"_

Over a hundred pairs of eyes turned towards the stage, eager to see the legendary hero. To their surprise they saw no one, until finally Cloud ran out reluctantly from the right onto the stage. He stopped in the centre. All eyes were on him.

Under fierce protest from both Cloud and the stage directors, Cloud had refused to wear any kind of costume the staff tried to pick out for him. The ones they suggested looked, to Cloud, to be completely stupid and humiliating, and so he ran out wearing his own clothing instead. Without the stage shoes his boots thudded loudly against the wood. Still, he wasn't going to twirl on like the directors wanted him to.

Cloud stood waiting on the stage. He had no idea what to do. In the few moments before the play started he had been given only a brief run-through of the story, and so he had no idea what he was supposed to do. Thankfully he was saved by one of the other cast members who, dressed as a knight in dull armour rather than shining, twirled onto the stage. He stopped beside Cloud and bowed fancily.

"Oh…… You must be the legendary hero… Alfred!"

Cloud stared at him. The voice that the actor had put on was so loud and so exaggerated and sounded so completely unnatural that it was beyond reason. He didn't sound too much like a knight either. The costume had been made out of scraps of metal probably picked up from the prison at the bottom of the Gold Saucer and roughly polished and shaped into what could pass as a suit of armour. A laugh tickled the back of his throat, and Cloud desperately tried to force it back. He shook his head, trying to avert his gaze from the actor's humiliation.

The knight stared at him, puzzled, oblivious to Cloud's discomfort. He leaned over a little and whispered sharply so that the audience could not hear him. "Hey, it's your line." With the laugh finally pushed aside Cloud had completely forgotten where he was. He pointed at himself stupidly, wondering if the knight was talking to him. "Yeah, you," the knight whispered again. Seeing that Cloud was completely confused, he took a deep breath and cleared his throat, to cover the confusion.

"Ahem!" he said loudly, moving back into his role. He spread his arms out in front of him and addressed Cloud to the audience. "Oh… You must be the legendary hero… Alfred! I know in my soul. Please… please save Princess Rosa! Now…… Please talk… to the King…!" He faced the audience and bowed. Then he began to slide towards the back of the stage, allowing the next actor to twirl on.

The second actor was just as hilariously dressed as the knight was. He had been given a fancy tunic and trousers that had been filled with soft foam padding to give the impression of extra weight (all kings were well-fed, after all). Covering his shoulders and most of his body was a luxurious robe. Sat on the actor's head was a metal crown painted to look like gold. He twirled perfectly onto the stage and stopped beside the knight. Cloud glanced around blankly for a second before, after deciding that he should do something, he ran towards the king.

"Oh… legendary hero, Alfred," the actor posing as a king said in a deep, loud voice. This actor was better at manipulating his voice than the knight. He managed to inflict a royal tone upon his voice, making it much more realistic. "You have come to have my beloved Rosa… On the peak of a dangerous mountain… dwells the Evil Dragon King, Valvados… who's kidnapped Princess Rosa… But…" He turned towards the audience and made his voice louder. "You can't bear the Evil Dragon King now! Talk to one who can help you……"

Taking a single step back to stand alongside the knight, the king motioned to the left-hand side of the stage. A third actor was waiting in the wings, waiting for his moment to move onto the stage. Seeing his fellow actor's sign he stepped out of the shadows and began to twirl onto the stage. Cloud's eyes widened as he saw the scene created by his twirling. This was going beyond ridiculous.

Judging by the third actor's choice of clothing, Cloud figured he was meant to be a wizard or a mage or something like that. He was covered from the shoulders down in a long blue cloak, with soft white fur trimming the edges of his collar, sleeves and hem. As he twirled onto the stage the end of the cloak seemed to spread out, revealing the soft stage shoes that allowed him to twirl without falling. The wizard came to a stop beside the knight and the king and looked at Cloud. A slight nod that was invisible to the audience indicated to Cloud that he was the one he was meant to speak to next. Shrugging his shoulders, Cloud ran over to the wizard.

As Cloud stopped just next to the wizard, the actor took a step forward, cleared his throat, and spoke loudly so all could hear him. "I am the great wizard, Vorman," he announced. He turned to Cloud. "What do you wish to know?"

For the first time throughout the entire play, through the haze and chokes of stifled laughter and horror, Cloud remembered his line.

"The Evil Dragon King's weakness," he said.

Behind him he heard a sigh of relief from the knight. Through the corner of his eyes Cloud could see the knight and the king, looking relieved. Cloud shot them a reproving glare and turned back to the wizard. The wizard-actor just smiled encouragingly. He then raised his arms and began to move them around in a grand, exaggerated gesture, as though he was using some mystical, unseen power to call the answer of Cloud's question to him.

"Ahh, the weakness of the Evil Dragon King," he said. He waved his hands more and began to murmur in a strange, unknown language. It was all for show, but the audience whispered in anticipation. "It must be, it must be… Yes, it must be…" The wizard opened his eyes. "True love! The power of love… Is the only weapon that can withstand the fangs of the Evil Dragon King…!"

Cloud felt as if a truck had just slammed into his head and kept on driving. 'True love'? That was the best they could come up with to defeat the Dragon King? Cloud had only fought one monstrous dragon in his life and many smaller ones, and knew that love would never defeat a dragon. Who on earth _wrote _this play?

However, it seemed as though the audience did not agree with him. Small gasps and murmurs echoed onto the stage, followed by loud whispers of 'aww' and 'how sweet'. The narrator, standing at the end of the stage, began to speak above the murmurs.

_"Oh, what is going to happen next…! Oh… Legendary hero… look!"_

Cloud turned to face the far end of the stage. His gaze rose upwards as he saw something large and green begin to lower itself slowly onto the stage. The audience gasped, some with fear and some with awe. Behind Cloud, the knight, the wizard and king all raised their arms in mock fear.

It was the Evil Dragon King. Or at least it was a dragon suit, being slowly lowered onto the stage by two very large cables hooked onto the top of the dragon's head. They had made the dragon suit large enough so that the cables would mostly be masked by the edge of the curtain. The person inside the suit operated the wings and tail, which swished and swooshed viciously across the stage. The jaw opened mechanically and a slight roar came out—a feeble attempt.

Standing clutched in the dragon's claws was Aeris. She supported herself on the dragon's legs as it lowered, but once it reached the bottom she let herself fall limply onto the wood, acting as though she was weak and in need of help. She tried her best to look terrified, but it was a hard effort considering she was having so much fun joining in.

"Gaaaaaaaah!" the Evil Dragon King roared fiercely. Cloud could just see the actor through the shadows of the dragon's mouth, trying his hardest to sound threatening and fearful. "I am the Evil Dragon King… Valvados! I have not harmed the Princess… I have been expecting… you!"

Down by his feet, Aeris trembled with fear at the sound of the dragon's voice. She looked to Cloud and reached out desperately, her hand trembling in sheer fear. "Please help me… Legendary hero!" she pleaded. Still reaching out, she glanced upwards at the dragon's head. "Psst……" she whispered softly. "Like that?"

Softly the dragon-actor nodded his head. Then, grasping his controls that were well hidden beneath the dragon's plastic and metal surface, he turned the head back to Cloud. "Gaaaaaaaah!" he roared again—a roar so filled with pure anger and hatred that it made the audience tremble. The actor raised the short arms with their razor-tipped claws and pointed at Cloud. "Here I come, Legendary hero… Alfred! I already know… your name!"

Hurriedly the wizard grasped Cloud's shoulder and pointed towards Aeris and the Evil Dragon King. "And now… Legendary hero…!" he said, in a voice that commanded sudden urgency. "Here is what will happen… to your beloved……" He looked up to the sky, as if speaking from divine command. "A kiss! The power of True Love!"

Once again all the eyes on the stage turned to Cloud, eager to see what he would do to defeat the dragon. The rest of the cast watched fearfully, hoping that Cloud would not forget what it was he was meant to do. Thankfully Cloud did remember, and he ran across the stage towards Aeris and stopped in front of her.

All eyes were on Cloud as he knelt slowly in front of Aeris, or Princess Rosa. The Evil Dragon King looked down in bewilderment, wondering what the Legendary hero Alfred was doing. Cloud reached out and carefully took Aeris's hand in his own. Pushing back her bracelets, he leaned over and kissed her hand gently. There was a parade of soft gasps from the audience—mostly from the women.

Aeris's eyes widened in surprise, and a deep pink flush rose to her face. "Cloud…" she breathed. Realising her mistake she quickly corrected herself. "I mean, Alfred…" The blush stayed on her face as Cloud rose to his feet. He scratched the back of his head and didn't look at her. For a moment Aeris thought she saw a flicker of red on his face as well. Was he blushing?

She never got to tell, for at that very moment the Evil Dragon King roared angrily, as though struck by a stake right through his heart. It made the wood beneath Aeris's feet tremble. The actor was very good at his role.

"Arrggaahhh!" he roared angrily. "Curses… The power of… love!"

Inside the dragon the actor pulled on the controls that operated the wings. The two large leathery wings began to flap vigorously—the metal that made them work creaking loudly. The cables wound into action and began to lift the dragon swiftly off the ground, carrying it back up to the beams above the curtain and out of sight.

Once the dragon was out of sight, the king stepped forward and raised his arms joyfully into the air, addressing the audience. "Oh… look!" he said, his voice filled with joy and delight. "Love has… triumphed! Now, let's all return… And celebrate."

"Yes, let's… yes, let's…!" the knight and the wizard cheered in unison.

Together the three actors rose up onto the tips of their toes and began to twirl off the stage—the wizard's cloak and the king's robe spreading and swirling around their bodies. Seeing her chance to shine Aeris also rose to her feet and began to twirl—following the three actors off-stage. She was surprised to see Cloud following her—also twirling. She grinned as they both twirled off the stage.

When all the actors had finished twirling off the stage, the narrator rubbed a small tear (a fake tear, to emphasise the effect of the story) and turned to address the audience. _"Oh, how profound the power of love…"_ he said. _"And so the legendary hero Alfred and our story can live on happily ever after."_ He gave a bow.

The audience erupted into cheer.

* * *

**Emerald:** Cloud… Twirling… Mustn't… Laugh… -fails- MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU TWIRLED! 

**Cloud:** -glare-

**Emerald:** You have no idea how hard that bit was to write… I wanted to make it funnier, but… every time I tried I burst into laughter. And sorry for those who wanted a Cloud and Tifa or Cloud and Yuffie date (or, heaven forbid, the Cloud and Barret date). This is the default date, hence why I used it.


	23. Part 07: Chapter 23

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

When the play was over and the curtain lowered, Cloud and Aeris bid a fond farewell to the stage cast and returned to the Gold Saucer Station. As a thank you for their efforts in the play the stage manager gave them 5,000 Gil—a price that Cloud was forced to agree was fair for their work. Staying at an inn could be very costly in the long-run, and they needed every penny they could get. The pittance they received from the battles they won would take a while to mount up.

They returned to the Station, Cloud first, making sure that Aeris was following him. They emerged from the tubes to find that the young man who had told them of the play in the Event Square was no longer there—presumably he had already retired for the night. Aeris, still on an immense high after the thrill of performing in front of a large audience, ran to the centre of the Station. She turned to face Cloud, the soft curls of her fringe falling around her face.

"Oh, that was fun," she said. She brushed herself off and then ran her fingers through the long lengths of her ponytail. She glanced at Cloud. He had his arms folded, his eyes focused on the floor in thought. Aeris sighed. She would have to work harder. She turned to look at the map, scanned it, and settled on the Round Square. "Hey, let's go on the Gondola."

To her surprise Cloud did not protest or complain at her decision. Nor did he resist when she grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him towards the tubes. She expected him to protest, complain that he was tired, and wrench his arm free. But he didn't.

At first Aeris thought that she had read him wrong—maybe he was enjoying himself after all. But looking at his face told her otherwise. His eyes were distracted, distant, and unfocused. It was as though he wasn't really with her, but somewhere else. Aeris frowned, but that softened into a smile. Cloud had a lot on his mind, and she wanted to distract him from that.

She led him to the Round Square. Aeris was glad to see that there was no one else around. The Gondola was waiting at the dock. Aeris felt her heart skip with delight, her stomach dancing. She looked back at Cloud. He was looking back at her, with that same clueless expression.

Looking at him, Aeris desperately wanted to reach out and pull whatever troublesome thoughts he had from his head. Instead she just smiled, winked at him playfully, and then ran to the woman inside the ticket booth.

"Two, please," said Aeris.

The woman nodded and deftly pulled two tickets from a reel. "Here you are, two tickets," she said, pushing the tickets through the slot towards Aeris. "Enjoy the sights of Gold Saucer."

Aeris picked up the tickets and called out to Cloud. He came over to join her beside the door of the Gondola. She gave him a playful nudge in the ribs to break him from his thoughts. After handing their tickets to the man guarding the doors the two stepped into the Gondola.

The doors shut swiftly behind them. Aeris sat down on the bench beside the open window, wishing inside that the hard, polished wood had a cushion to make it more comfortable. Cloud sat down opposite her, his arms folded across his chest in thought. Aeris sighed.

Just then the Gondola shuddered into life and began to move away from the station. Aeris huddled up close to the window and looked out. Beneath her she saw the rail tracks dip away as the strong cables above carried the Gondola away from the station and up into the air. Within moments they left the Round Square completely and began their winding trek around the Gold Saucer.

"Wow, how nice," Aeris said, voicing her thoughts as she gazed through the open window. They were just coming round the first pass, and one of the other Squares was just ahead. Aeris leaned over to look, and her green eyes lit up in delight.

Cloud barely looked up. Aeris didn't mind too much—she was too enthralled with the amazing sights that appeared before her eyes. The gondola was rising past the Chocobo Square, and she could see right into the racing ring. She saw the Chocobos with their different, fascinating colours race through the multicoloured arena, their riders pushing them on towards the finish line. At one point they passed so close to the edge of the ring Aeris thought she might reach out and pet one of the Chocobos as it ran past. She didn't, of course, but it was a nice thought.

While she was thinking this, she saw movement in the corner of her eye. She did not move her head, but she was quite sure that Cloud was also gazing out of the window. A small smile touched her lips, and she turned back to the window.

They passed the Chocobo Square and the gondola began to lift up again—a motion that was perhaps a little too swift, for Aeris felt her stomach lurch slightly. The gondola then steadied itself and moved forward gently. The next square came into view and Aeris leaned forward eagerly to see which square it was.

As she was leaning over a bright red light suddenly flared inside the gondola, making Aeris leap back and shield her eyes. Cloud stared at her and glanced at the window. The light had come from outside the gondola, from the square they were just beginning to pass. After a second or two the red light passed the gondola and Aeris sat up. She moved back to the window and looked out, this time looking out for any more sudden, flaring lights.

"Oh! Look, Cloud," she called. She waved her hand eagerly, motioning for Cloud to join her at the window. Cloud did not move, but Aeris did see his blue eyes trail towards the window again.

Outside the gondola was passing the Speed Square. The rollercoaster ride was in motion, its blurry form zipping along the tracks that wound their way inside and out of the square. The red light Aeris had seen was one of a series of brightly coloured lights that lit up in sequence around the square. They lit up and moved around playfully like coloured beacons lighting up the night sky.

The rollercoaster came zipping past. It zoomed around the outside of the square, the metal framework only a fast-moving blur as it came dashing past the gondola. Aeris could hear nothing of the people inside—the sound of the track and fairground music drowning out all other sounds. However when the rollercoaster came speeding past the gondola she heard the brief sound of joyful screams—a split second sound before it was lost to the sound of speed.

Aeris was almost disappointed when the gondola began to rise again, making a gentle turn away from the golden square and began to move up into the air again. Now in the middle of its journey the gondola was moving away from the side of the Gold Saucer, moving into a position above all the lower squares.

Peering out, Aeris could see all of the lower squares they had passed. She could also see the Ghost Square and its eerie graveyard, standing out like a sore thumb amidst all the light and colour illuminating the other squares. The golden-plated metal that encased the squares glittered in the coloured light, making it seem as though it really was all made of gold.

"It's so pretty," breathed Aeris silently, her voice nothing higher than a whisper. Cloud did not hear her. His eyes were firmly fixed on the open window.

At that moment a bright flash of light lit up around the outside of the gondola, followed by a loud, piercing bang that pierced the jubilant sounds of the Gold Saucer. Cloud, startled by the sudden noise, nearly jumped out of his seat. Aeris however, was leaning out of the window, looking up at the sky. A gasp of shock and delight escaped her lips, before they widened into a thrilled smile of joy.

A second firework fired up from below. Aeris watched its smoky trail as it zipped past the gondola and high up into the air. It exploded with an ear-shattering bang, and an upsurge in brightly coloured sparkles spread across the sky. With the smoke still trailing beneath it and the sparkles burning in the sky, it looked like a giant, multicoloured palm tree growing in the air.

More fireworks joined it after that; steady at first but gaining in speed and occurrence. Pretty soon dozens of fireworks lit up the night sky. The entire sky surrounding the Gold Saucer was alive in colour and flame. In the clearness of the night, those colours would be seen as far away as Costa del Sol and Gongaga. If Bugenhagen were in his observatory right now, even he would see the colours lighting up the sky.

Thinking of Bugenhagen brought Aeris back from the realm of fantasy her mind was living in right then. Tales of the Lifestream and the Planet flooded her mind, those memories much louder than the fireworks and the music put together. Closing the window to drown out the noise of the exploding fireworks, Aeris sank back into her seat. The soft cushions sank beneath her weight, but Aeris didn't notice. She sat back and looked at Cloud, who was watching her.

"……It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.

She got a brief nod in reply. Aeris swallowed hard and looked down at the wooden floor of the gondola. One of the laces on her boots was coming undone, but Aeris ignored that. She clasped her hands together tightly, gripping at her flesh, as though the pain might push away the fear of what she was going to say. But it didn't. So instead Aeris just took a deep breath and began, not looking at Cloud.

"……First off, it bothered me how you looked exactly alike," she said, her voice so low that Cloud had to lean forward and strain his ears to hear her. A firework exploded outside, lighting the sky in green. Aeris continued to speak. "Two completely different people, but look exactly the same. The way you walk, gesture… I think I must have seen him again, in you… But you're different. Things are different. Cloud… I'm searching for you."

"…………?" This comment caught Cloud completely off-guard. He looked at her questioningly. Aeris was refusing to look at him. Her hands were clasped tightly together. So tight in fact that the normally pale and soft skin was beginning to turn red. They were also trembling slightly, and her boots shifted nervously on the floor.

Still Aeris did not look at him. "I want to meet you," she said.

"But I'm right here."

"I know, I know… what I mean is…" Slowly she lifted her head, the folds of her fringe falling around her face. She looked up at Cloud. "I want to meet… you."

Their eyes met. Upon meeting her gaze Cloud felt himself go cold, and he became filled with such a sudden surge of alarm that he almost jumped out of his seat. The look in her eyes… The piercing sharpness of that green gaze seemed to burn through his flesh and delve into the depths of his soul. He could almost feel her looking inside him, searching… for him. He looked away.

Aeris spent the rest of the gondola ride in silence. She kept her gaze on Cloud for a few more minutes, until, realising that she would get no response, she let her gaze turn towards the window again. The fireworks were still flaring, brightening the dark blue sky. She could see the stars still twinkling between the coloured flares of light. She sighed calmly, and the smile slowly returned to her face.

Cloud did not look at her. He was looking the other way, out of the opposite window leading into the night. Through that window there were no bright lights lighting up the sky; no joyous sounds of people laughing and screaming in the innocence of their lives. Through the other window there was just darkness and the shadows of the mountains.

It was like staring into two different worlds. On one side of the window was the world of light and joy that Aeris lived in, while on the other side there was the darkness and shadow that threatened to creep up on it, even in the day. Without realising it, Cloud found himself looking at Aeris in admiration. She somehow managed to hold off the shadow threatening to creep up on her, and stay in the light. Also, without knowing it, he smiled.

The gondola made its final turn around the park and steadily began to descend, heading back to the Round Square station from where it had started. The man was waiting at the edge of the platform as the gondola descended, rubbing his hands and blowing on them to remove the chill of the night. When the gondola finally came to a stop he opened the door and thanked the two for riding on the gondola. Aeris stepped out and thanked the man for his service. Cloud came out after, still silent.

The two headed back along the platform towards the lifts. Above them they could still hear the roar of the rollercoaster and the jovial cheers from the Chocobo races—the race had just finished. Aeris looked up at the night sky above her. The fireworks had ended now and the coloured sparkles had faded away. She could see the stars clearly beyond the rounded shapes of the Squares.

Aeris stopped walking, so suddenly that Cloud nearly walked into her. She turned around to face him. Her eyes were calm now, no longer searching, and filled with a serene sort of peace, as though she had come to a decision about something.

"I had fun tonight," she said, her voice soft and calm. "Let's go together again." Cloud did not answer her. In his mind's eye he could see her surrounded by light, in a world where the shadows tried to close in on her. When he didn't respond Aeris's face saddened. "You don't like being with me?"

In those moments when she spoke those words, the shadows around her seemed to expand their ugly reach upon her. Cloud suddenly felt her drift very far away from him, as though she was caught on a tide where he couldn't reach her. The shadows around her grew thicker, enveloping her…

Hurriedly Cloud shook his head, banishing the sudden horrifying image from his mind. "That's not it!" he said, aware that his voice had risen in his sudden panic. When he looked at her again the shadows had gone. Aeris was where she should be, standing in front of him, that sweet smile on her face.

"I'm glad," the young woman said softly. She moved a flick of brown hair from her eyes, which never moved from Cloud. "Next time we come, let's take our time and go on more rides. Oh, look at the time! We'd better get going."

* * *

The Station was empty when Cait arrived. The cat's mog body emerged from the Ghost Square tube with a loud 'pop', followed by a sudden gush of air—it had been a tight squeeze. The mog body landed with quite a heavy thud on the floor. Aware of the noise Cait looked around anxiously, scanning the station for any signs of life. In his hands was a small leather pouch, which he was clinging to tightly. _Good_, he thought as he scanned the area, _I'm alone._

Cautiously he took a few steps forward towards the centre of the Station. Even though he knew he was alone, his eyes continued to scan the station. Anyone could pop out of those tubes, and he wanted to make sure that he was completely, totally, and absolutely alone. He couldn't be disturbed.

He came to a stop just next to the tube leading to the Battle Square. Looking around one last time—just for luck—he turned his gaze downwards towards the pouch in his hands. Made of firm leather and bound in string, it was much lighter than he expected it to be. Curious, Cait began to undo the string.

The cat was so involved in his work that he did not notice Cloud and Aeris emerge from the Round Square tube behind him. The two landed with ease on the ground and looked across the Station, spotting Cait instantly. The cat had his back to them, and was muttering quietly to himself. They could not see what he was doing.

"Hey? What's Cait doing?" asked Aeris curiously. Cloud shrugged. He couldn't see what the cat was up to.

The string finally came undone. Cait tilted the pouch upside down and dropped the small object into his open hand. Small and smooth and almost perfectly round, it could have been nothing more than a fancy-looking stone. It was still cold, like ice. The markings on it, although natural, looked like they could have been painted by an expert hand. He held the object up to the light, gazing at its brilliance.

Cloud's eyes widened in shock as he saw the object Cait held in his hand. "! Is that the… Keystone?" he asked in disbelief. No, he had to be wrong. He had placed the Keystone in a pouch and left it in a drawer in his room, hoping it would be safe. He had even locked the drawer to make sure of it. But there was no mistaking the object that Cait was holding now. It was the Keystone. "Hey! Cait!"

At the sound of Cloud's angry voice Cait started, almost dropping the Keystone onto the floor. The pouch fell at his feet. Cait caught the Keystone before it could fall, clutching it close to his chest in his clumsy clawed hands. With a gentle smack he ordered his mog forward and began to move quickly. He jumped into the Battle Square tube and with a whoosh, he was gone.

Cloud darted forward towards the tube, with Aeris running closely behind him. Without hesitation Cloud leapt into the tube. The wind flow caught him instantly began to drag him down into the tube, making him move with all haste towards the Battle Square. He was aware of Aeris's presence right behind him. Up ahead he could see the shadow of Cait's body zipping through the tube, heading upwards.

Cait reached the exit before Cloud could reach him. His large mog body burst out of the tube with a very loud 'pop', startling the guard who was standing outside the arena. The cat clutched the Keystone tightly in his hands as he looked around at the other open tubes, wondering which one he should hop in to evade Cloud and Aeris.

His mind was made up when he heard two consecutive whooshes from behind him, followed by an angered cry. Cait quickly darted around and hopped into the tube leading to the Wonder Square, carefully evading Cloud's outstretched arm as he attempt to snatch the cat from the mog. Cait didn't waste time with a mocking sneer and hopped into the tube.

Exasperated Cloud ran forward and dived into the tube, along with Aeris. The two zipped nearly side by side as they were carried along by the wind currents, but they were not gaining on Cait.

The cat was already at the exit, bursting up out of the tube and up into the air, before landing safely on the ground. Quickly his eyes darted around. There were a few people in the Wonder Square—maybe Cloud would think he ran off into the crowds. With that plan in mind he dived into another tube, zipped away by its current.

Cloud was just emerging from the tube when Cait made his dive. Through his windswept blond hair he saw the cat dive headfirst into the tube marked 'Chocobo Square' and vanish into its depths. Cloud cursed beneath his breath. He was fast for a cat riding on a mog. He landed only for a brief second as he also dived into the tube, calling out for Aeris to follow him.

Less than a minute later they emerged at the Chocobo Square. Carried forward by the immense momentum of the wind and his own drive Cloud staggered forward onto the stairs. Aeris emerged just seconds after and ploughed straight into him. The crash threatened to knock Cloud off the stairs. Cloud waved his arms and just managed to keep his balance, thanks to Aeris's help.

Cait was just ahead of them, bouncing rapidly up the stairs towards the Chocobo arena. He stopped at the last step and glanced across the stairs, scanning the sky above. When he looked back down and saw Cloud and Aeris running towards him he jumped in fright and darted into the arena, the doors crashing shut behind him.

Now filled with a furious rage Cloud threw the doors open and charged into the arena. The bright lights and the heat of the room hit his face, making him, for a moment, feel dizzy and faint. There were many people in the Chocobo Square, all of them cheering and yelling as the races went on.

He spotted Cait somewhere near the back of the square. The cat was trying to blend in with the crowd, or at least appear as part of the scenery, standing close to the betting booth. Cait looked around and saw Cloud standing in the doorway. Realising that he had been seen he broke from his position and ran back into the crowd. Cloud ran after him, rudely pushing aside the crowd as he ran.

Aeris, exhausted after so much running, had only just reached the top of the stairs when the doors burst open again and Cait came bounding out. He brushed straight past her, knocking her to the floor in his desperation to get away. He stopped at the edge of the stairs and looked to the skies. He saw what he was looking for and ran down the stairs, calling up to the sky, just as Cloud came running out of the square.

"Hey!" Cait called up loudly. "Over here! The Keystone!"

Hovering in the air above him was a large black helicopter bearing the logo of Shinra and the Turks. The helicopter descended on the Chocobo Square, and the door in the side of the chopper slid open. At first Cait could see nothing in the open doorway, until Tseng stepped out and stood on the edge. He held out his hand, waiting.

Standing up as high as he could on top of the mog, Cait threw the Keystone up into the air. Tseng caught it in his outstretched hand and clasped his fingers firmly around it. He looked down at the Keystone for a brief moment before sliding it into a hidden pocket inside his blazer.

"Well done," he called down to Cait, his voice barely audible over the whir of the chopper blades. His black hair rushing around his face, he turned and shouted something to the driver of the helicopter. Then he disappeared inside the shadows.

The helicopter began to rise again. Cait watched from below as the Shinra helicopter flew off into the night, carrying the Keystone with it. He sighed in relief. He had forgotten about Cloud and Aeris, until he heard the sound of running footsteps and Cloud's outraged voice behind him.

"Hey!"

Defensively Cait spun around and grabbed his megaphone from the side of the mog. Although Cloud and Aeris had both left their weapons inside the hotel, they still had their fists. But Cait wasn't worried about them attacking him. He had completed his mission now, and that was what was important.

Still, seeing the outraged glare in Cloud's eyes as he ran down the stairs, the cat couldn't help but feel a little bit nervous. "W, wait a second," he stammered nervously. "I won't run or hide." He flinched as Cloud came charging towards him. For a moment it looked like he might strike the cat down right there, until Aeris's hand touched his arms and made him fall back. Cait opened one eye and sighed. "Yes, I was a spy. I was hired by the Shinra.

Aeris shook her head. "…I trusted you," she said, her voice broken in her disbelief. "I can't believe you!"

She really couldn't believe it. All the days they had journeyed and travelled together—fought side by side. Although she knew there had been a spy amongst them, she never thought that it would be Cait. But then, she didn't really think it would be anyone. She had hoped it had been a mistake, that it was just coincidence that the Shinra were able to find them so quickly. Knowing that Cait had betrayed them made her heart ache inside.

"I couldn't help it," Cait said reasonably. He scratched his furry head for a moment, gazing at Cloud and Aeris with an innocent, wide-eyed expression. "How 'bout if we continue like nothing ever happened?" he suggested innocently.

Cloud's eyes narrowed in fury. He literally shook with rage. He longed to grab the cat and tear him from his mog body, and then tear his body apart piece by piece. But Aeris's hand on his arm calmed that thought, her unspoken words in his mind. "No way, cat!" he responded, failing to keep the tremor of anger from his voice. "You gotta lot of guts acting like a friend but being a spy!"

Cait tilted his head questioningly. "Then, what are you going to do? Kill me?" He laughed at the thought. "You'd just be wastin' your time if you tried." He patted his hand firmly across his chest so they could hear the hollow thud. "This body's just a toy anyway. My real body's at Shinra Headquarters in Midgar. I'm controllin' this cat from there."

Aeris pushed past Cloud and stood in front of the cat. The expression in her eyes was stern and angry. "So you're from Shinra?" she demanded. She grabbed hold of the cat's arms. "Who? Who are you? Tell me!"

"Whoa, I can't tell you my name."

Now it was Cloud's turn to put his hand on Aeris's arm. Aeris nodded her head slowly and backed off, her hands slipping weakly from Cait's body, which was unharmed. Although Cait seemed amused at the thought of Cloud trying to kill him, he had seemed somewhat alarmed by Aeris's fierce interrogation.

"We're not getting' anywhere," he said to Aeris softly.

"See? I told you!" said Cait triumphantly. The look of alarm was gone from his face now, replaced once again by the look of sheer triumph. Aeris did not notice it, and Cloud wondered why the cat had been so alarmed. The cat continued. "Talking won't do any good, so can't we just continue our journey?"

"You think I'm jokin'?" Cloud snapped fiercely. The cat's arrogance was unreal.

Cait sighed and sat down on the mog's head. "…All right, yes, I am a Shinra employee. But we're not entirely enemies," he said. He looked up at Cloud. "…Something bothers me. I think it's your way of life. You don't get paid. You don't get praised. Yet, you still risk your lives and continue on your journey. Seeing that makes me… It just makes me think of my life. I don't think I'd feel too good if things ended the way they are now."

"……And so on, and so on…" Aeris grumbled under her breath. She shook her head sadly, a tear rolling down her face.

"He'll never tell the truth," Cloud told her. "Once a spy, always a spy. We can't go on with someone like that. C'mon, get real!"

Cait sighed again. "…Just as I thought," he said, shaking his head. "Talking won't make a bit of difference. But I prepared something in case this happened. Why don't you listen to this?"

A loud crackling noise filled the air, making Aeris and Cloud jump. It sounded like a radio receiver. Bewildered the two looked around them, searching for the source of the noise. Then, suddenly, they turned their gaze towards the cat standing in front of them. The sounds came from him! After a few moments the crackling settled and a small, meek voice called out to them.

"Papa! Tifa!"

Cloud jumped back in horror, recognising that voice instantly. Aeris recognised it too, for she gasped and her green eyes widened. That small, meek voice, belonging to a small, meek girl. Someone they thought was safe inside Midgar, with Aeris's mother.

"Hey! That's Marlene!" Aeris gasped.

The voice in the receiver made a quick, sharp gasp, recognising Aeris's voice. There was the sound of movement and the voice called again, this time much louder. "Hey! It's the flower lady! Flower lady…"

Marlene's voice was cut off and the reception went dead. Cait sat back on his mog smugly, knowing that he had them. "…So," he said, "you have to do as I say." It wasn't a threat, just a statement.

Cloud's fists were shaking. It was all he could do to keep them under control. He turned his head away, unable to look at Cait anymore. "…You're the lowest…" he growled under his breath.

Cait seemed to be hurt by that. His cat eyes saddened and he looked at the floor. "I didn't want to do this…" he said. "…using dirty tricks and taking hostages… But this is how it is… no compromises. So why don't we continue as we did?"

Ignoring the gazes of Cloud and Aeris, Cait turned away from them and began to walk slowly up the stairs. He stopped about halfway up and turned back to them.

"Tomorrow is the Temple of the Ancients, right? I know where it is, so I'll tell you later. Of course, we'll get there after the Shinra, but you'll have to deal with that."

With that, Cait turned and stepped into the tube, carried off towards the Ghost Square. Cloud and Aeris stood silently on the stairs, unable to say anything. Aeris hid her face in her hands. To think of that poor little girl in the hands of the Shinra… Aeris couldn't bear it.

"…Well, we're stuck," Cloud said finally, breaking the silence. "…We'll just have to do what he says."

He headed up the stairs. Aeris lifted her head, wiping the tears from her eyes. She didn't want Cloud to see her like this. "I wonder if Marlene is all right…" she whispered to herself. "I wonder what happened to Mom?"

* * *

**End of Part Seven**

**Part Eight: A Bitter Farewell (title under construction)**

* * *

**Emerald:** Sorry I've been so slow on updates, but I've had a lack of motivation at the moment. Anyway, here's the latest chap. I will work on getting it updated faster. 


	24. Part 08: Chapter 24

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Part Eight: You Will Lose Something Dear**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

As Cloud had feared, chaos almost broke loose the next morning when the rest of the companions heard about Cait's treachery. At first Cloud had been against letting the others know what the cat had done, but Aeris had insisted that the others had a right to know the truth. And besides, how else was Cloud going to explain the sudden disappearance of the Keystone without incriminating himself?

However, Cloud's biggest problem was not admitting that Cait was a traitor, or losing the Keystone. His biggest problem was Barret, and letting him know that his daughter, Marlene, was in the hands of the Shinra. He knew how Barret would react. When asked why they had to let Cait stay in their party, Cloud had been hesitant in his answer. He had no choice but to tell them about Marlene. He bit his lip.

Sure enough, Barret did not like hearing that news one bit. He flew instantly into a dangerous, livid rage and almost throttled Cait there and then. His nostrils flared, his muscles pumped dangerously; he yelled, he cursed, and he smashed up a good few chairs in his rage, trying to reach the treacherous cat. It took Vincent, Cid_ and_ Cloud to hold the big man back and stop him causing damage. They succeeded in keeping the big man in check, just, but not without receiving a few self-sacrificed bruises in return. All the while Cait had stood there, his face sullen, and didn't say anything.

The noise had proved to be too much for Cloud. He went back upstairs to his bedroom and let himself fall back on the bed, listening to the sounds of chaos coming from below. He shut his eyes for a few minutes and stared into the darkness, trying to blot out the noise and encase himself in silence.

Eventually the noises from below began to calm down. Cloud could no longer hear Barret's enraged voice, and it sounded like no more chairs were being broken. In his mind Cloud pictured the scene below. Barret would be standing with his arms folded, refusing to look at anyone. Cid would be sullen and grumpy. Vincent's face would be, as usual, expressionless, along with Red XIII. Tifa and Aeris would together be apologising to the clerk for the mess and paying for whatever damage they could. Yuffie would probably be distracted. Cait… he didn't care what the cat did.

Slowly Cloud sat up. It was now completely silent on the floor below. Strolling over to the cabinet Cloud picked up his large sword and the Yoshiyuki, and began to strap it once again to his back. Time to test his theory.

He stepped out of the bedroom.

Sure enough the others were standing almost exactly like he had pictured them, with a few differences, of course. Barret _was _standing with his arms folded, his lips curled into an expression of suppressed anger. Most of the broken chairs had been pushed to one side—it seemed as though Aeris and Tifa _had_ made some attempt to clean up the mess.

"What took you so long, Cloud?" Cait said cheerfully. He was by the door waving his megaphone. The arm of the Mog waved with him. "Oh yeah, about the Temple of the Ancients. I think if we take the Tiny Bronco East towards the sea, we should be able to find it. Well then." He rubbed his hands together. "Shall we get goin'? Who's gonna go?" He looked around at the others.

At first no one answered him. They simply glared at him and turned away. Aeris, on the other hand, had pricked up her ears at the mentioning of the Temple. "I want to go!" she announced firmly, turning to Cloud. "I'm going for sure." Cloud nodded.

* * *

**Temple of the Ancients**

At long last the companions arrived at the mysterious Temple of the Ancients. It had taken them hours of long and arduous trekking to reach the Temple. Sweat poured over their bodies, but did little to cool them. Every breath was a struggle, burning inside them. They collapsed onto the wet ground, gasping for breath.

After parking the Tiny Bronco at the edge of the shore they began their long and arduous trek across the plains to the ancient forest that loomed in the distance. The companions had all been in high spirits when they first set off in search of the Temple. The air was warm but not too hot, and the fact that there were no clouds in the sky showed it to be another promising day for their journey.

There had been a light rain the night before, for the grass was soft and damp beneath their feet, and Red XIII revelled in the sweet scents of dew dripping off the leaves. It was tantalising, he had said, urging him to frolic through the grass. Although he resisted that temptation his tail, with its own mind and will, flicked through the tall stalks playfully.

The mood quickly disintegrated. The plains on which they walked seemed to last forever, and the forest never seemed to get any closer. It was almost as though the forest was deliberately keeping its distance from them—watching them from a safe distance. Cloud had laughed at this idea, although it was a half-hearted and somewhat cautious laugh.

The temperature had begun to rise as well. As the sun rose higher into the sky so did the temperature, rising to almost unbearable temperatures. Red XIII's tail stopped its playful game, and his ears began to sag. There was no water apart from what they had brought with them, and even that was beginning to turn warm.

The forest offered no home comforts either. When they finally caught up to the forest (or it finally allowed them in, they couldn't quite be sure) they had hoped that the shade would cool the heat. In reality it only increased, rising to even more unbearable levels. The air became damp and thick with moisture that burned the backs of their throats, caused them to sweat and gasp for breath. Their steps slowed to merely fairy size steps. Red XIII could barely stand—he was almost crawling across the ground. Cid nearly turned around to head back. Cloud was almost in agreement with him, apart from a nagging voice in the back of his mind telling him that he was close. It was at that moment that the Temple came into view.

It was definitely the Temple of the Ancients. There was no doubt about it. Not in Aeris's mind, at least. She looked up through the tops of the dripping, vine-covered trees and the damp, searing heat and saw the top of the Temple emerge through the hazy mist. Barret thought she had been seeing things until he looked up and saw it as well. The others followed and they knew they had found the Temple at last.

It was not easy to reach the Temple. A deep and rocky pit surrounded it. They could not see the bottom, for it was filled with a thick mist that was impossible to see through, even for Red XIII's keen eyes. Yuffie tried dropping a stone through the mist to see how far it went. They never heard it land. The only way across the pit was over a rickety old bridge leading to the Temple gate.

A large stone wall guarded the Temple. Once tall and strong, the wall had fallen into disrepair and was beginning to fall apart. Giant chunks of rock from the wall were missing. They could be found on either side of the wall—lying in crumbling heaps on the soil, sinking into the mud.

The Temple itself still looked intact and in good condition, unlike the wall. It was built like a step-pyramid of ancient times, rising high up so that it was almost level with the trees. The trees themselves seemed to separate around it, the branches growing in opposite directions as a form of respect for the ancient, abandoned structure. There was hardly any mildew growing up the stairs, no signs of damage at all.

Aeris was the first to step up to the Temple. Staggering to her feet she made her way slowly across the bridge. Each step made the bridge shake and quiver beneath her, as though threatening to throw her off. Then, sensing one of their own, the creaking planks of wood began to steady themselves, supporting her instead of fighting her.

Also sensing the presence of other powerful forces around her, Aeris came to a stop in the middle of the bridge. Her skin tingled—a strange, cool feeling that made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She let her eyelids flutter shut and knelt on her knees, opening her heart to the voices that were calling out to her.

"This is… the Temple of the Ancients…" she said. Her voice was low, barely above a whisper, but it cut through the dampness of the air and carried it to the others behind her.

A cold draft brushed past her shoulders. She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her. The voices whispered close by. Aeris squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hear the unspoken words.

"I… I know… I feel it… The knowledge of the Ancients… floating… You could become one with the Planet, but you're stopping it with the strength of will. For the future. For us."

She could feel the presence of the unearthly spirit pressing against her, trying to probe her heart for understanding. It was not an uncomfortable feeling. The unseen spirit did not look to hurt her. Aeris knew it could not hurt one of their own, nor did it want to hurt anyone. It was a spirit at peace with itself, but still unable to leave the living plain. Why?

She shuddered again, and she thought that she might faint. She relaxed. Just as the darkness of sleep began to overcome her, she felt a cool hand touch her shoulder and jerk her awake. Aeris's eyes snapped open and looked up. Cloud was standing beside her, a concerned look on his face.

"What are you saying? Do you understand?" Aeris gazed at him. His face was tense and pale, and covered in the damp moisture of the air. Perhaps it was just the mist, but for a moment Aeris thought she saw a green-coloured aura flicker across Cloud's form, and the forms of the others behind her. Was that the essence of the Lifestream flowing through them, as Bugenhagen has taught her?

The voice of the spirit called out to her again, and the green auras vanished. Slowly Aeris stood up, accepting Cloud's hand of help despite the fact that she no longer needed it. Without looking she turned towards the Temple, hearing the voice speak behind her, urging her to follow. Aeris did as commanded and ran across the bridge towards the open doorway in the wall, trying to hear the faintness of the words.

"You're uneasy… But happy?" Aeris slowly looked around her, her eyes moving blankly across the others, who were watching her. Aeris did not see them. The voice whispered once more in her ear. "Because I'm here? I'm sorry… I don't understand."

Aeris stopped as she felt a sudden brush of movement sweep across her face. Ethereal fingers caressed her cheeks, and then her forehead went ice cold. Aeris's eyes fluttered a moment as the spirit's kiss of blessing went through her body and mind, touching her soul. Aeris nodded her head, a movement invisible to the others. Whispering a prayer of thanks for the spirit's kindness, she ran back to the others.

"I want to go inside!" she proclaimed, in such a sudden state of enthusiasm that it made the others nearly jump out of their sweat-caked skins. Aeris looked at Cloud sternly. Although he had no idea what kind of powers the Ancients had, it only took one look from Aeris's firm green eyes to assure him that it was safe. He nodded.

Aeris took charge of the group, leading them past the stone wall and up the Temple stairs. It seemed only right that, as an Ancient, she should be the one to lead the way. This was almost like coming home for her, in a strange sort of way. One of the last known structures of her heritage.

They began to climb. Like the Temple, the stairs had also fought the fate that threatened to break them. The steps were steep and tightly packed, and the exhausted bodies of the companions fought hard against the climb. As though sensing their fatigue, the stairs seemed to widen and lower themselves, making it easier to climb. Aeris explained this as the spirits granting their blessing and allowing them entry to the Temple. Barret was sceptical, but Cloud was not so sure.

When they were halfway up the stairs, Yuffie's eyes trailed towards the door. As she was about to lower her gaze she saw a sudden flash of movement. Calling out to the others and grabbing her shuriken, she began to dart up the stairs. The others followed her, hands also rushing to their weapons.

They reached the top of the stairs, panting, gasping, exhausted. They looked around. The platform was empty, and the doorway was dark and shadowy, but also empty. Eight pairs of eyes turned to glare at Yuffie, who looked around in bewilderment. Barret and Cid hurled an abusive rebuke at her for making them rush, but Yuffie was insistent that she had seen a figure step out of the doorway and fall to the ground. A dark figure, clad in a black cape…

Eventually Aeris turned away from the argument and looked towards the Temple door. Although she could not hear the spirit's voice calling to her now, she could feel its presence beside her, slowly pushing her towards the door, urging her to enter. Holding her staff firmly in her hand, she stepped cautiously into the shadows.

Passing through the door Aeris found herself stepping from a world of light into a pool of infinite shadows. At least, that was how it seemed to her eyes. There was very little light shining inside the Temple, mostly due to the fact that the sun was rising at the back of the Temple, and would not enter the Temple until later in the afternoon. Aeris blinked and peered into the dark, trying to adjust to the shadow.

Steadily her eyes began to adjust and Aeris started to look around her. The inside the Temple was nothing more than a simple small room, which was just about empty apart from four stone pillars holding up the ceiling. The ceiling itself was cracked and torn, and looked ready to drop at any second. The air was dusty and stale, and when mixed with the moisture in the air it made her throat clog up so much that she nearly coughed.

Just as began to cough, something else caught her throat and made her voice stop in mid-choke as some sort of strangled croak. Her sight had cleared completely—her eyes fixed on a shadowy figure that lay ahead of her.

At the other end of the room, just a few feet away from her in fact, was a stone altar. The man was sitting on the ground in front of that altar, one leg drawn up to his chest, the other lying weak against the ground. The man's dark suit had been slashed open, and blood oozed from a terrible wound in the man's chest and stomach, which he was pathetically trying to hold together with his blood-soaked hand. His shirt was almost completely red. Seeing the shadow fall on him he looked up and gazed at Aeris through lengths of dark hair and hazy vision.

Aeris gasped, her voice echoing strangely in the silence of the room. "Hey! It's Tseng!" she cried. She completely forgot about her cough.

Hearing Aeris's startled cry, Cloud entered the Temple and stood beside her. After blinking for a few seconds to clear his sight he too saw Tseng sitting weakly at the foot of the altar. Seeing them looking, the Turk tried desperately to stand. He held onto the edge of the altar with one hand, while the other clutched pathetically at his wound, trying to hold the slashed shards of shirt and flesh together.

"Tseng? Of the Turks?" Cloud said, astonished. He knew he should not be surprised to see the Turks or the Shinra here before them—Cait had already warned them about that. Then he saw Tseng's wound. He stared at it, feeling a sudden pang of fear and sympathy for the Turk leader. Did he really want to know how it happened?

Before he could ask the question Tseng was on his feet, albeit weakly, and was starting to limp over towards them. He was limping, his left leg dragging almost lifelessly behind him—another painful injury. The pain showed on his face as he gasped and sweated, making his way over to stand a little ways in front of Cloud.

"Uh… I've been had," he muttered through gritted teeth as he staggered over to the group. "It's not the Promised Land… Sephiroth's searching for…"

Cloud's eyes widened. The strange pressing sensation that had been growing in the back of his mind since they left the Tiny Bronco pressed a little harder. His head began to throb a little. "Sephiroth! He's inside?"

"Look… For yourself…" Tseng mumbled, waving his free hand towards the altar behind him. The sudden movement sent a wave of dizziness rushing to his head. His good leg wobbled beneath him, threatening to give in. Tseng fought to stay standing.

Eventually the wobbling ceased. Tseng steadied himself. The effort cost him deeply, as more drips of precious lifeblood slid down his hand. Tseng looked down at his wound with a saddened smile. He sighed.

"Damn…" he said softly, never taking his eyes off his blood-stained shirt. "Letting Aeris go was the start… of my… bad luck…" He tried to straighten himself, but the pain caused him to gasp. He bit his lip hard, causing that to bleed, too. "The President… was wrong…"

Aeris, who had been staring at Tseng with widened, fearful eyes up until that point, suddenly narrowed her gaze and shook her head. "You're wrong," she said. Her voice was fierce and growing in anger. "The Promised Land isn't like what you imagined. And, I'm not going to help. Either way, there was no way Shinra could have won."

Suddenly she turned away, overcome by emotions that were welling up inside her. Her face burned, and tears were stabbing the back of her eyes, threatening to burst out into the open. She half ran, half fell over towards the nearest pillar. Her shoulders began to tremble.

Tseng watched her slump against the pillar, shoulders trembling, refusing to look at him. He looked at her with a secret longing. Realising that he could never have her, his dark eyes saddened and he looked away. "…Pretty harsh," he murmured. He raised his gaze to Cloud. "Sounds like something… you'd say."

Reaching into his bloody pocket, Tseng pulled out the Keystone and held it out to Cloud. The man's hand was shaking terribly. It was also beginning to turn pale through loss of blood. For a moment Cloud felt a pang of sympathy for the Turk. He had no doubts now as to who had injured him so. He held out his hand, and Tseng dropped the Keystone into his open palm.

"The Keystone… Place it… on… the altar…" Tseng told him. He was becoming breathless, and his voice was strained with each word he spoke. He seemed about to say more, but the words would not form and he coughed. Blood stained his lips and fingers, and was warm in his mouth.

Tseng smiled sadly and shrugged his shoulders. Ignoring Tifa's offer of help he began to stagger back away from them. He moved towards the far pillar and leaned heavily against it. After another violent cough that wrecked his body and made it shake he slumped heavily against it, sliding down the side of the pillar and onto the floor. His head dropped towards his chest. He coughed again, and more blood stained his lips.

A hand brushed against Cloud's arm. He turned to look at Tifa standing beside him. He was surprised to find her eyes filled with tears. Seeing his concern, Tifa quickly shook her head and pointed in Aeris's direction. Cloud looked. Aeris was still by the pillar, her head pressed against the stone. Was she crying? Cloud thought he could hear the sound of sobbing. Patting Tifa reassuringly on the arm, he walked over to the pillar. Yes, it was Aeris's tears he could hear. She was trying hard to hide them, but in the silence of the room he could easily hear them. He reached out to touch her shoulder, but he quickly changed his mind. He turned away from her.

"You crying?"

Behind him he heard Aeris's sobs become louder. "…Tseng's with our enemy, the Turks, but I've known him since I was little…" the Ancient replied between her sobs. The salty taste of tears burned in her mouth. She glanced at Cloud through tear-filled eyes. "There's not a lot of people I can say that about. In fact, there are only a handful of people in the world who really know me."

Another-heart-filled sob choked out her words, and she hurriedly turned away to hide the new tears that spilled down her cheeks. Cloud did not say a word. He didn't need to ask which handful of people she was referring to.

He suddenly realised the bitter truth about her existence. From the moment of her birth she and her mother, her real mother, had been hunted by the Shinra. After her mother died and she moved in with Elmyra, the Shinra hunted her. Aeris had to grow up in a world where she was constantly being looked for. She would have had to keep the truth about herself a secret; to stop people getting to know her too well in case they turned her in.

Cloud bit his tongue. Of course very few people would know the real Aeris. Despite her smiles and words of trust and happiness, it must have taken Aeris a lot to truly trust anyone. Yet she had placed her trust in him. She put tremendous trust in him on the day they met, when he helped her escape from Reno and his Shinra soldiers. And she continued to trust him, even now…

While he was lost in his thoughts he didn't realise that the others were talking. Aeris had finished her crying now and was wiping her eyes, trying to laugh as Yuffie and Cid tried to cheer her up with small jokes about the state of the Temple. Tifa had been trying to bandage Tseng's wound. The Turk was unconscious now and sleeping soundly. Cait assured Aeris that Tseng would be all right—the Shinra would rescue him pretty soon. Aeris was relieved to hear that.

Meanwhile, Vincent had gone over to the altar and was looking down at it with interest.

It was a simple altar—nothing special, rather like the Keystone. It was simply a rising block of stone, which was entirely smooth apart from a small number of spherical shaped grooves on the top surface. These slots were a variety of different sizes and only one seemed big enough to fit the Keystone. Vincent traced the sharp finger of his golden claw around the edge of the groove, thinking.

Now broken from his thoughts, Cloud walked over to stand beside the dark-haired man as he stared at the altar. The Keystone was in his hand. Cloud met Vincent's gaze and knew what he was thinking. There were no visible doors leading to any other part of the Temple. That meant that the route they were about to take was one-way. Once the Keystone was activated, they could not turn back. Vincent nodded. Cloud turned to the altar.

"Let's put the Keystone in," he said.

The others came to stand around him. Tseng, who was just beginning to come round again, watched them through hazy eyes. Aeris turned her head away from him. Cloud did not notice. He stood right next to the altar and lowered the Keystone gently into the slot. It slid in easily, fitting with a gentle click. They waited.

For a second or two nothing happened. A few more seconds passed, and still nothing happened. The companions held their breaths so tightly inside themselves that they feared their lungs might burst. But neither one dared to breath—no one dared to break the eerie silence that had fallen when the Keystone joined with the altar. They stared at the Keystone, unmoving, their hearts wishing for something to happen.

Their wish was granted. A deep humming sound began to resonate within the altar. The hum rose up through the stone until it touched the Keystone, which began to quiver and shake with the silent tune. The Keystone then began to glow a mysterious shade of blue—a colour that glowed eerily in its dark form. The rune-like words carved onto the Keystone's surface shimmered brightly. The magic was activated.

The light began to spread. The light seeped like water from the Keystone and into the stone slot that held it, and from there it began to spread to the other empty slots. The Keystone was a dam releasing the pent up water so that it may soak the dried up riverbanks. Each slot was filled with that eerie light, which shimmered like water reflecting the light of the blue moon.

Cloud stepped back away from the altar to join the others. They had forgotten about their need for air now—their breath caught by the sights emanating from the altar. They did not see the ground begin to bubble and swell beneath their feet. They did not see the way it changed shape and form, transforming from solid rock to an almost semi-transparent slush of rock and sand.

They did not notice until it was too late. At the last second when Tifa looked down and saw her feet sinking into the sand, she cried out for Cloud to help her. He could not reach her—the sand was already pulling him in and dragging him under. He was already up to his waist, and sinking fast.

Struggling just made it worse. The more they struggled, the faster they sank. Barret was already up to his neck, and with one more fierce struggle he slipped beneath the sandy surface and vanished from sight. Red XIII quickly followed, the last sight of him being his fiery tale as it was sucked beneath the surface of the sandy ground.

Tseng watched as the group was sucked beneath the sand. He was not worried to see them go under. He had seen it happen before; he knew that they would be safe.

The last sight he saw before pain took him under its wing again was Aeris. Aeris had been the only one not struggling. She looked at him with her gentle green eyes. She whispered something.

And then she vanished.

* * *

**Emerald:** Is it just me, or am I starting to add a lot more originality to the way I write things? I was hoping to convey a sort of eerie, magical way of entering the Temple, since you can't just sink through solid rock. Logically it would have to meld or melt somehow, right? Hope it works. Oh, and as you can probably tell, I changed the title of this part from 'A Bitter Farewell' to 'You Will Lose Something Dear'. 


	25. Part 08: Chapter 25

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

"Words… feelings… So many of them here."

Aeris stared around the inside of the Temple. Her green eyes were open wide, looking around at the Temple's interior and absorbing every single minute detail of her surroundings. Her mind was alert and active, processing everything as it came into her vision. She saw every rock that lined the walls, every stone that lay silently across the path, every clump of weeds that protruded from gaps in the wall. She didn't just want to see what was around her. She wanted to _feel_ it all, too.

Deep within her veins her Ancients blood was bubbling and boiling away, pulsing with an energy Aeris had never experienced before in twenty-two years of life. Everything she thought she knew about the Ancients was nothing more than a mere fragment compared to the vast knowledge that floated around THIS Temple. That knowledge blew past her face like a cool wind—teasing her, taunting her, urging her to follow. Aeris's fingers twitched in excitement. How she longed to find that knowledge! Barely aware of the presence of the others behind her, she ran to the edge of the path.

The path upon which she stood was an odd one, in that it seemed to randomly start in mid-air. The path joined with another short path further down, and was supported by a single stone pillar. It was one of many similar paths, which wound and turned endlessly through tunnels and under sets of stairs to create one very large, very vast maze. To look at it made the mind dizzy, and it wasn't long before the others, standing disorderly at the start of the path, were lost in a state in of confusion.

"Damn--!" Barret cursed loudly, aware of the fact that his loud voice boomed through the quiet walls of the Temple. His loud voice echoed back to him and compelled him to whisper, further proving the vastness of the Temple. "So this is the Temple of the Ancients! Oh man, you gotta be kiddin'! This is makin' me dizzy!"

Cid was not faring any better. Already in a foul mood after the long trek, the shock of being sucked into the ground and then waking to stand in this impressive but daunting Temple did nothing to repress his violent tongue. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" he cussed. "What the hell's with this place?"

Standing to one side, Cloud was inclined to agree with him. The sheer size of the Temple's interior was overwhelming. It was so unreal. From outside the Temple had seemed quite large, but that was nothing compared to where they were standing now. His head buzzed slightly, giving him the impression that they were somehow underneath the ground, deep in the bowels of the Temple…

Flashes of the moments outside the Temple burned in his mind. The ground of the Temple had turned to jelly beneath him, trying to pull him under its surface. The ground closed in above his head. He could not breathe. He could not see. He had been filled with an upsurge of terror he could not control. Then warm hands seemed to caress his soul, calming him. When he awoke, he had found himself with the others in this place.

He glanced around at the others. To his left Yuffie and Cait were both staring, wide-eyed, at the many paths surrounding them. The familiar glint in Yuffie's eyes revealed what she was thinking, and Cloud betted it had something to do with materia. Cloud could not hide the angry snarl in his throat when he looked at Cait, still unwilling to trust the robotic cat.

Near them stood Red XIII and Tifa. Red XIII was sniffing the air, his yellow eyes glazed over in remembrance of his beloved Cosmo Canyon. Yes… the Temple did hold a scent similar to the mountain village. Tifa, standing beside him, had a worried look on her face. Although she was not an Ancient by birth, she got the feeling that there were many things going on around her that she couldn't see. She wondered if the spirits living in the Temple would welcome them. Did they know their intent?

Vincent stood alone at the start of the path, looking round in careful thought. He looked down over the edge of the path, and then looked up to the ceiling above. It was solid. Nodding to confirm his suspicions, he turned back to face Cloud, his face grave. "No exits…" he said. "We can't turn back."

Cloud groaned and tugged on his hair. He had been afraid of that. No exits meant that they could not escape the Temple if they were in trouble. If someone got hurt, they could not go back and get help. They were on their own.

"…Cloud!" Cloud turned his gaze forward. Aeris was still standing alone at the opposite end of the path, her face filled with anxious and excitement mixed together. "I know it's going to be tough, but… Don't give up! We can do it!"

Cloud walked towards her. Looking into her beautifully clear eyes, Cloud felt inclined to believe her. They had, after all, been granted access to the Temple. The Temple itself had allowed them to enter. But that didn't mean that they could just go around and do whatever they wanted. The Temple would watch them: watch every step they take, every move they make, waiting for them to make just one false move.

Cloud let his gaze slowly sweep the maze around him. There were so many long, winding paths and rising stairs, all of them leading in different directions. Looking at them for too long made him feel dizzy, but he forced himself to look. He had no doubt that there were hidden traps and dangers lying at every corner, waiting to crush them where they stood if they did even one thing wrong. It was unnerving. It almost felt like they were being watched…

Suddenly he stopped, and his eyes narrowed. His gaze fixed on a small path of stone ahead, standing lower than the path they were on. Standing in the middle of that clearing was a short and lonely figure, silent and still. Despite being so close the figure seemed to blur in Cloud's vision, making it hard for him to see it clearly. Cloud motioned for Aeris to come forward, his right hand inching towards the handle of his sword. Aeris came and stood beside him, and looked out at the figure below.

Like Cloud, she also could not see the person clearly, but she could make out enough from its shimmering form to discern that it was definitely a human form and not a monster. Through its wavering, rippling image she could see that it was dressed in long blue robes that flowed around its ankles, and that it had a thick, long white beard that almost touched the ground. A large brown hat sat lopsidedly on its head, blocking its face from her sight. But she didn't need to see its face to know that it was not a threat. There was no air of malice surrounding it.

"Wait a second," said Aeris quickly, putting her hand on Cloud's arm to stop him from drawing his sword. Seeing his hand relax she stepped right up to the edge of the path and, leaning over as far as she could without tumbling straight over, she waved to the person below. "Hello!" she called, her voice loud and cheerful, making the others jump. "Say, hello! Up here!"

At the sound of her voice, the person in the brown hat jumped, looked around in bewilderment, before finally looking up at her. When he saw her standing there, smiling her cheerful smile and waving to him vigorously, he jumped, ran around frantically for a second or two, and then began to run away from them at top speed.

"Hey, wait!"

Whether he heard or not didn't matter. The man was running fast, almost tripping over his robes in his hurry to get away from them. He half-ran, half-fell through a dark, open doorway at the end of the platform, only to appear seconds later through another doorway just around the corner from it. The man looked around wildly for a moment before he jumped onto the ledge and onto another platform below. Without looking to see if anyone was following him, he continued to run.

He was being followed. Aeris was running as fast as she could across the stone-paved ground. In her hands she held the long folds of her dress to keep from tripping over them, her necessity for speed being most important. Her boots thudded loudly on the stones, kicking up dirt and dust in her wake, but she didn't care. Somehow she just knew that she had to catch this man—to stop him from running away from her. Behind her the others followed, trying to catch up.

The blue-robed man continued to run. His brown hat bounced wildly up and down on top of his head, slipping a little with each bounding step, yet never enough to fall. He ran straight into a tall, rising wall at the end of the path.

Over the years, ivy had taken over this wall. Deep cracks in the stone structure were barely visible beneath the thick covering of the thick, green stalks. But instead of breaking apart the stones held, perhaps held firmer by the ivy that gripped it. The thick vines pierced the grey stones and crept up the wall, creating a strong ladder that would hold even Barret's massive form.

Knowing this, the blue-robed man threw himself against the wall. He dug shimmering fingers into the leaves, which did not rustle at his touch, the sharp leaves never seeming to prick the fabric of his robes. He climbed swiftly up the wall, perhaps too swiftly. When he reached the top he looked down, saw Aeris running towards the wall. He waited a moment, before he began to run again.

"Please, wait!"

Aeris reached the wall. Like the man she leapt up and grabbed onto the wall of vines. A sharp cry escaped her lips as the sharpness of the leaves dug into her skin. She almost fell. Tears stung the back of her eyes.

Remembering her mission she pushed the pain aside and began to scramble up the wall. She ignored the leaves that scratched at her arms, leaving short but visible trails of red down her bare skin. She ignored the sound of Cloud's voice, and Tifa's, calling for her to slow down.

Finally, she reached the top. She pulled herself up onto the ledge, relieved to finally be out of reach of the stinging ivy leaves. Looking down at her arms she saw that they were scratched and torn. Some of the wounds were so deep that they bled, thin trails of warmth down her arms. Her dress was torn and frayed at the edges.

Suddenly aware of eyes watching her, Aeris looked to her right. The blue-robed man was standing not too far away, halfway up a set of stairs. He cocked his head inquisitively, before turning and beginning to jog up the stairs again. Aeris, sighing heavily, pulled herself to her feet and began to follow him.

At the top of the stairs was another ivy-covered wall. Much to Aeris's relief the leaves on this patch of ivy were much softer than before and did not scrape her skin. She looked up to see the man was already at the top of the wall, looking down at her. How did he get up so fast? He watched her climb for a moment and then, as though sure that she would get up safely, he turned and walked through an open doorway.

When Aeris reached the top of the wall she was just about ready to give up. Her arms and legs burned from the running and climbing, and her lungs ached with each breath she took. But she could not rest just yet. She forced herself to stand, to steady herself on her feet, and walked bravely into the room.

The blue-robed man was there, waiting for her patiently beside the far wall. Aeris staggered into the room, which was filled with a faintly stagnant air. There were no treasures in the room—nothing different to make it unique. But it was strangely comforting. The man stared at her silently, his slightly transparent face gazing at her, his almost empty eyes probing her.

"Nyum… nyum…" the man mumbled incoherently, as though the words were not familiar to him.

It was as she gazed at the man's transparent form that she finally realised who this man was—_what_ he was. She breathed deeply and sighed in relief. She stood still in the shadows of the room, gasping for breath, unable to speak.

Less than a minute later the others arrived, collapsing onto the outside platform as they finished pulling themselves up the ivy wall. To judge from their gasping, agonised breaths, they were exhausted, too. One by one they entered the room, standing silently behind Aeris.

"Whew!" Aeris said when she could finally speak, although her voice was still faint and breathless. "We finally caught up to you. I'm sorry. You waited for me," she corrected quickly, seeing the man's puzzled face at the word 'caught'. Aeris nodded slowly and turned to face Cloud and the others, who were waiting behind her.

"Those are the spirit bodies of the Ancients," she explained, waving a hand at the spirit-like man behind her. "They've been away from their Planet for a long time to protect this Temple. Over the many years, they've lost the ability to talk. Actually, they didn't need words from the beginning because there was only one objective for those left in the Temple."

She turned back to face the blue-robed man still standing behind her. His white, bearded face was inquisitive and piercing, looking through Aeris with eyes that seemed to look into her very soul. Aeris did nothing to hinder him. It was the spirit of one Ancient communing with the spirit of another. She had nothing to fear.

Although he could not speak to her in words, Aeris knew that he was trying to tell her something. His eyes, which were probably once as blue as the sky, now as grey as the Temple, were anxious. They looked at her with a sense of urgency, even of fear. She tried hard, but she just couldn't make out the strange mixture of feelings and words stirring in her mind.

"Please, talk to me!" she said desperately, taking a step towards the spirit. She tried to listen, but the words were too garbled. "No good, I don't understand the rest. Are you afraid…? Is it because Sephiroth is in the Temple? Or something else?" Eventually she gave up, and the companions left the spirit to his wanderings.

They paused for a few minutes on the stone platform outside, and looked around at the vast maze before them. The maze was very large and very deep, with so many rising and falling staircases leading to doorways and dead-ends. Staircases ended abruptly in mid-air. Paths were blocked by a sudden wall that seemed to materialise out of nowhere. Sharp turns wound round and round. Aeris seemed to think that they should head down, and so they began their long trek around the Temple maze.

More than once they got lost wandering around the labyrinth of the Temple. Despite their best efforts to find their way through they somehow always ended up walking straight into a blank wall or reaching to bottom of a set of stairs that didn't lead anywhere except a long fall into the black depths below.

Cloud had been right on one thing. The Temple was filled with many dangers just waiting to leap out at them. Almost immediately after leaving the spirit's chamber they were attacked by the Temple monsters. The monsters just seemed to appear out of thin air and caught them off-guard. On more than one occasion they barely escaped with their lives.

The first problem they encountered had appeared when they were climbing down the ivy wall. A small green dragon, known as an Ancient Dragon, suddenly swooped down from above, surprising the companions. The dragon brushed past Cid as he stood on the path, waiting to climb down. The suddenness of the attack caused him to lose his balance and he started to tumble over the edge, until Vincent grabbed hold of Cid's spear and pulled him to safety.

The dragon itself was easily dealt with. Red XIII utilised the power of the summon materia equipped in an anklet around his front paw, using its power to banish the creature.

The resulting surge of power caused the platform to crack and swell, as though some great force was pushing up beneath it. The neatly lodged stones began to rise, swelling up. When it could take no more they split apart, cracking open with a resounding boom. The figure of Titan then rose from the gap.

Tall and muscular, far beating Barret in terms of strength and size, Titan was a sheer beast of a man (or summon!). His arm muscles were as thick as tree trunks and just as strong, as he proved with his next action. Seeing the dragon flying towards them, Titan leaned over and pulled a great big chunk of rock from the ground. With careful aim he threw the rock at the dragon.

It was a perfect hit. The chunk of rock smashed into the dragon head on before it had a chance to see and swerve. There was a sickening crunch as bones were crushed. The dragon fell from the skies. It landed on the ground far below—the rock on top of it, burying it for all eternity.

The second obstacle that slowed their progression was a very big problem. After finally finding a promising route downwards, Aeris had spotted another Temple spirit watching them from a platform below. Like the first it seemed to wait for them to get near, before running off and into a dark doorway further up. Seeing this as a sign to where they should go, Aeris urged the others to follow her.

When they entered the Temple it was very nearly the last thing that they ever did. Spurred on from hope that they were finally getting somewhere in this maze of corridors and stairs they picked up their pace. They were moving so fast that they did not see the danger approaching them until it rolled in front of their path, a dark rolling shadow.

"Another trap…" Cloud muttered angrily.

His gaze followed the giant circle of stone as it rolled down the corridor, disappearing in the shadows that blocked their view of the other end. Peering cautiously round the corner he saw another stone approaching. Quickly he withdrew his head; else it would have been struck by the stone. He didn't want to think of what would have happened if they had not stopped in time. They would have been squashed underneath a boulder of heavy, condensed rock, their splattered remains staining the ground. He shivered.

"Are you sure that spirit guy came in here?" Cloud asked despondently, turning to Aeris, who was standing behind him.

Aeris looked up the corridor. For a brief moment between the falling slabs, she could see the hazy outlined figure of blue waiting at the top of the corridor. "Yes," she said confidently. "We must go on." Seeing Cloud's disheartened gaze, she grasped his hand. "We can do it!" she assured him. She turned to the others. "I know we can! Just a little more. Please! Just a little bit more!"

Whether it was the look in her eyes or the words she spoke, somehow it worked. The others, who were exhausted from their long day of walking and fighting and running, climbed to their feet and stood beside her, ready to move on. Aeris beamed with pride. She knew they would not give up yet.

"But how are we going to get across this?" Tifa asked as another large stone slab came past and disappeared into the darkness. "There seems to be no way through."

Aeris frowned in thought. Tifa was right. The stone slabs would crush them before they could make it to the top, that was for certain. But Aeris knew that the spirits of the Temple would not guide her wrongly. There _must_ be a way across!

She turned back to the path. She gazed at it closely, inspecting it thoroughly, trying to figure out some way of reaching the top. There was a small alcove, possibly another path, about halfway up the corridor. If they could somehow reach that without the stone slabs hitting them, then they might have a chance. Although each stone slab had a deep groove cut into its side, Aeris knew that there would be little chance of them being able to hide in it. Barret's big frame would never fit into that groove. Either that or he would get stuck and be carried off for all eternity. She giggled at the thought.

"What're you laughin' at a time like this?" Barret snapped angrily.

"N-nothing, nothing," Aeris said hurriedly, swallowing her laughter. When she was sure she could speak, she turned to the group. "Listen, I think I know how we can get across. There's another path halfway up. These stone slabs are wide, but not wide enough to fill the whole corridor. If we press ourselves against the wall and move along carefully, we should make it!"

She looked for their response. Cait and Barret didn't look too thrilled with the ideas. Their larger bodies meant it would be harder for them to press against the wall. Cait pawed at his Mog body lovingly. He didn't want that to get crushed into pieces. Barret looked to Cloud, expecting a defiant remark of refusal.

Instead, Cloud smiled. "All right," he said, and Aeris jumped for joy. "Let's do it."

"WHAT? CLOUD, YOU SPIKY-HEADED BAS—"

"But we'll need to be quick," Cloud added hurriedly, ignoring Barret's angry glare. "We can't afford to waste any time on this. Sephiroth, or the Shinra—" he said with a glare at Cait. "—are already ahead of us. Let's get this over with."

The others nodded and turned towards the path. The stone slabs moved at regular intervals, making it possible for them to time the best moments to run to the other side of the corridor. Once they stepped out into the path, it was all or nothing. Any hesitation meant that they would be crushed beneath the rocks.

Aeris went first, leading the way. Immediately after the first stone slab passed her ran out into the corridor. Yuffie ran with her, Cloud deciding it would be faster if they went two at a time. The two girls ran quickly to the other end of the path and threw themselves against the wall, just as the next stone slab rolled by.

That done, they began to slide along the wall. They took small and careful steps up the path, taking every care to keep them pressed firmly against the wall. Another stone slab passed them by. It was so close Yuffie felt she would only have to lean over and feel the rock scrape her skin. She swallowed hard, and her throat hurt.

Tifa and Red XIII ran out next, followed closely by Cid and Vincent. Returning the favour Cid reached out and grabbed hold of the long folds of Vincent's cloak, holding them close as the slabs threatened to trap them. Now only Cloud, Barret and Cait remained.

Barret was still reluctant to cross the path. "Ain't no way I'll fit!" he protested fiercely. "There has to be another way! I'll be damned if I'm gonna—"

He never got to finish his sentence. In mid-speech Cloud shoved Barret roughly out into the corridor and into the path of another rolling slab. Barret stared in fear for a second, before he quickly leapt to the other side of the wall, shaking his fist and cursing Cloud's name.

Cloud then turned to Cait. "Heh, don't worry," the cat assured him hurriedly. "I can get myself across, thank you." And so he did, running out into the corridor and hopping over to the other side before one of the slabs could strike him down. When he reached the other side he heard Barret's disappointed moan, and vaguely heard him say something about wishing the cat was crushed. Cloud smiled, and then he ran out into the corridor.

Aeris's plan seemed to be working. By the time Cloud reached the halfway point—another path as Aeris had said, with a strange shimmering pool at the far end—Aeris and Yuffie were already beginning the second ascent. Their bodies pressed against the wall, they moved as quickly as possible.

This time Barret and Cait needed no prompting to step out onto the path. By this point both of them had fallen silent. Barret was sullen, rubbing a painful scratch on his stomach where a rolling slab had rolled a little too close for comfort.

One by one they reached the top. Aeris reached it first, running out away from the wall and dashing to the open path at the other end before a new slab could appear from the magic walls. Yuffie darted straight after her, falling to the floor in her relief that it was finally over.

When Cloud reached the top, the slabs suddenly stopped rolling. Everyone turned to stare at the wall from which they had appeared, angry that the slabs had waited until that moment to finally stop. Barret in particular was extremely annoyed, and punched the wall with such ferocity that he made it crack.

Aeris, however, was not perturbed. Deep down she had expected that the slabs would stop once they reached the top. It was a trial, nothing more. "Phew---we did it!" she said cheerfully.

Cloud looked around at the others. "Everyone all right? That sure took a lot out of us."

One by one the others nodded. Half of them were on the floor, not from exhaustion, but from sheer relief that they had made it through the trial. The tension had been so much that many of them had stopped breathing as they went through it, and were now making up for it in vigorous gasps for breath.

Aeris looked at them all, smiling happily. Suddenly that smile disappeared as she felt a sudden, painful pang in the depths of her soul. Her Ancients' blood stirred as she heard faint spiritual cries coming from behind her. Slowly Aeris turned and saw the path halfway down the corridor, where they had stopped briefly before moving on. The cries were coming from there, urging her to come and see. Gripping her staff tightly, Aeris obeyed the spirit's words.

The others were just climbing to their feet again when they heard Aeris cry. Cloud looked up and saw her running towards him from the side-path. Her face was desperate and filled with fear.

"Oh no…" she was saying as she ran up to them. "Cloud, come quick! Hurry, this way!" She turned and ran back to the corridor, disappearing round the corner.

Cloud didn't wait to hear the others' approval. He, too, could sense the overwhelming danger growing inside the Temple. The deeper they descended, the greater the danger became. He could almost feel Sephiroth's presence close by… Looking behind he saw that the others sensed that same danger, forgetting their own fatigue and running alongside him.

They ran into the corridor. Cloud looked around for Aeris. The woman was standing at the far end of the path, behind the shimmering pool that Cloud had noticed briefly when they passed by. Aeris was looking down into the surface of the pool, listening and shaking her head fiercely.

The pool was wide and circular, cut deep into the rock. Its edges were rough and jagged and had an eerie hue to them, which Cloud didn't recognise at first. The pool itself shimmered with a variety of colours. Mainly a purplish-blue hue, it also varied between shades of green, silver, yellow, red and even gold. The water's surface bubbled gently, and clouds of steam rose from its surface. But the water was not hot. The steam was cool against the skin, like the cool touch of a mid-autumn breeze sighing with relief for the end of the summer.

A puff of steam rose from the surface, swamping Aeris in its thin, damp cloud. The water glittered strongly for a second before returning to its faint shimmer. Aeris shook her head again and looked up at Cloud.

"It's full of the knowledge of the Ancients," she said, trying to calm the anxious tremor in her voice. "No… not knowledge… consciousness… a living soul… It's trying to say something." She knelt down on the rock and peered into the water. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Cloud and the companions watched as Aeris shook her head again. She then proceeded to lie down flat on the rock, and stretched out her arm, placing her hand beneath the surface of the water. She flinched, for the water was indeed very warm, but not enough to burn her.

Now she could hear the words more clearly, although they were still so very faint. Whispering words rustled like leaves in her mind, fading in and out as though they were weak and trying desperately to get every bit of information out to her. Aeris closed her eyes and listened intently.

"What? What is it?" she asked of the pool. Words whispered in her ear. Slowly Aeris withdrew her hand, surprised to find it red from the heat. She stood up. "…Danger? An evil… consciousness? …Show? You're going to show me?"

As if in response to her question, the pool began to glow brightly. Aeris took a step back, shielding her eyes from the growing light. The others covered their eyes, too, as the light from the pool expanded and filled the entire corridor with a piercing white glow. Cloud felt his head buzz and the ground beneath him grow distant and far away. Somewhere behind he heard Barret shout something, but then everything was swallowed up by the light.

* * *

**Emerald:** Yes, I changed the ending of the chapter. I really disliked how I ended it. But then, when I was writing it on Wednesday I was rushing to finish it before my lecture, so it was abrupt. It's better now though. 


	26. Part 08: Chapter 26

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The light was blinding. It filled every corner of Cloud's vision, leaving him as blind as if he were standing in darkness. He could see nothing but the endless plains of white around him; hear nothing but the loud pounding of his heart inside his chest. His head ached terribly. The endless buzz ringing in the back of his head was getting louder. He could not see the others standing beside him. He could not hear their voices speaking around him. He was completely alone in the vast white emptiness.

As if answering his silent prayers, the light around him began to dim and recede. Cloud was relieved to see the room emerge from the light, but he was surprised to find that it was no longer the room in which he had stood a moment ago. Strange, he hadn't felt his body move somewhere new. This was a new room he had never seen before, and yet the sight of it filled his heart with trepidation and awe.

Cloud now stood in the middle of what appeared to be a wide, vast hall. Tall walls of stone towered around him—thick walls, strong walls, to protect the room from intrusion. There was only one entry point—a large stone door at the back of the room. Many small wooden torches lined the walls. Every one of these was lit, lighting up the wall. The eerie shadows cast by the flames made the walls themselves appear to be on fire.

Through the dancing patterns of flames Cloud could see markings upon the wall. They were murals and there were many of them, painted across the stone in mixtures of ancient paint and stone carving. The pictures were strange and ancient, and though the light was dimming Cloud could not see the pictures clearly. But there were many of these murals, spreading the length and breadth of the walls.

"…What's going on?" Cloud said aloud.

His voice sounded so incredibly strange in the ghostly silence of the room. There was no echo to his voice, despite the walls gathered around him. The words just seemed to disappear right after leaving his mouth, almost as though they never existed. From somewhere beside him he heard Aeris's voice, faint and ghostly in the light.

"Wait! Look! It's showing us!"

People began to emerge from the light. There were two figures, dressed in dark blue suits and white shirts, standing in front of the murals, looking up at them. One was a tall man, with long black hair that hung around his shoulders. The other was a woman, shorter than the man, with short blonde hair and an anxious but eager expression. Cloud gasped in recognition.

Tseng and Elena of the Turks.

Before Cloud could say anything, Elena suddenly turned and ran over to Tseng.

"_Tseng, what's this?"_ she asked, waving her hand towards the murals. _"Can we find the Promised Land with this?"_

Beside her, Tseng looked up at the murals. His eyes scanned the paintings, trying to make sense of them. He curled his lip and rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. _"…I wonder,"_ he said, more to himself than to Elena. Shaking his head briefly, he glanced at Elena. _"Anyway, we have to report to the President."_

Elena nodded her head. Her gaze turned towards the murals. The main painting towered over her and Tseng. It was quite obviously the main painting—it was both the largest and the most terrifying of them all. She shuddered. She didn't like this Temple. Not one bit. It gave her a creepy feeling right through her body—from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. She didn't want to leave Tseng alone in this horrible place, but orders were orders and she had to obey.

Giving Tseng a quick bow, Elena ran past him towards the open door. Before she even reached halfway she faltered and came to a stop. She clenched her fist tightly, almost drawing blood. She turned back to Tseng, suddenly uneasy.

"_Be careful, Tseng,"_ she said suddenly. She bit her lip hard and this time she did draw blood. Its sweet taste filled her mouth. She cursed herself, unable to say what she really wanted to say.

"_Yeah…"_ Tseng replied absently, still focused on examining the murals in front of him. Elena was about to turn away and run towards the door, when Tseng suddenly took his gaze away from the murals and turned to face her. _"Hey, Elena,"_ he said. _"How 'bout dinner after this job's over?"_

Unable to believe what she had just heard, Elena almost choked and fainted right there and then. Tseng… wanted to have dinner… with her! Her heart leaped into her throat, her stomach leaping about like butterflies. It was only her training as a Turk that allowed her to quickly regain her composure and stop her from embarrassing herself. Even so she couldn't stop a faint tremor of happiness creeping into her voice.

"_Th… Thank you very much,"_ she said, her face flushing to a deep crimson. Her head felt dizzy and light as she gave another quick bow to her superior. _"If I may be excused…"_ The Turk then turned and quickly darted off through the open door, wishing that the butterflies in her stomach would stop fluttering.

Tseng was now left alone in the mural room. He waited until Elena had shut the door behind her and then turned back towards the murals. He craned his neck back, looking up once more at the main mural that dominated most of the final wall. Looking up at this mural sent the same shiver down his spine. Was his mural they key to the story? He stepped closer to the wall, trying to figure it out.

"_Is this the Promised Land?"_ he said aloud, talking to himself. _"No, it can't be…"_

While all this was going on, Cloud and the companions continued to watch from the back of the room. They heard the words spoken, had watched Elena turn and run from the room. They gazed up at the murals. Like Elena, they also felt that strange sliver of fear run down their backs. The murals bode great evil, and they all knew it.

A sudden draft of freezing cold air brushed past Cloud's shoulder. Cloud shuddered, the hair on the back of his neck pricking up as his shoulder went numb from the sudden cold. He exhaled and his breath came out as a puff of icy white smoke. It felt as though some cold, ghostly presence had walked past him, and its frozen aura had chilled him to the bone. Cloud turned his head and looked behind him, but saw nothing. He quickly glanced at the others. They had not noticed it.

He was beginning to think it was just his imagination, when a flash of white light filled the room and he heard Aeris cry out in horror. He turned back to the room, and when he saw what she saw his hand rushed to his sword.

Sephiroth was there, kneeling close to Tseng in front of the murals. His body glowed with an eerie, faint white aura, and he was semi-transparent, as though he wasn't really there. The masamune lay limp in his hand, the blade across the floor. Tseng could not see him. Another white flash filled the room and the aura disappeared, the translucency gone.

Tseng turned in surprise at the sight of the flash. When he saw Sephiroth kneeling beside him, his eyes opened wide in horror.

"_Sephiroth!"_

Slowly Sephiroth began to stand. His black overcoat unfurled around him as he stood; the strong leather creaking as he moved. The long lengths of silver hair fell about his face, shrouding it from view. His fist clenched tightly around the handle of the masamune, and he lifted the blade up from the floor. The edge of the blade glinted blood red in the firelight. When Sephiroth was standing he raised his head and looked at Tseng through his glowing eyes.

The sight of those fierce Mako eyes made Tseng's blood run cold. He knew he should grab the gun that he kept hidden beneath his blazer and shoot, but he couldn't move. His body refused to obey. All he could do was turn his eyes away from Sephiroth's face, to avoid looking into those cold, killing eyes.

A small smile touched Sephiroth's lips. He seemed almost amused by Tseng's fear of him. He took a step forward. _"So you opened the door,"_ he said, motioning with his hand the door behind them. His voice was so soft it was like a whisper. _"Well done."_

Tseng continued to avoid Sephiroth's gaze. Instead he looked up at the murals, trying hard to ignore the oppressive cold chill that had filled the room upon Sephiroth's arrival._ "This place… What is it?"_ he asked. He couldn't hide the quiver in his voice as he spoke.

Again Sephiroth smiled, amused. He walked over and stood beside Tseng. _"A lost treasure house of knowledge. The wisdom of the Ancients…"_ He looked almost lovingly at the main mural towering above them. His eyes seemed to glitter dangerously in the firelight. He spread his arms wide and gazed up at the ceiling. _"I am becoming one with the Planet."_

"_One with the Planet?"_

There was a white flash of light. Unbeknownst to Tseng, a second image of Sephiroth had appeared in the room. It was a flickering image, barely visible in the light of the room. It walked calmly away from the real Sephiroth and stood in the centre of the room, its arms spread wide in some holy gesture. Tseng could not see it, but it was very clearly visible to Cloud and his friends, watching from the back of the room.

The real Sephiroth lowered his arms and turned to face the mural again. Tseng swallowed and tried to take a deep breath. The air was getting thicker. _"You stupid fools,"_ Sephiroth said harshly. The smile was gone. _"You have never even thought about it. All the spirit energy of this Planet. All its wisdom… knowledge… I will meld with it all. I will become one with it… It will become one with me."_

"…_You can do that?"_

Slowly Sephiroth lowered his head and stared straight ahead, fingers flexing tightly around the handle of the masamune. When he spoke, it was an indistinct whisper. "_The way… lies here."_

Suddenly Sephiroth turned, gripping his sword in both hands. He dashed forward, moving so fast all Tseng could see was a dark blur coming straight towards him. A flash of silver swiped through the air and a small spray of blood splattered onto the walls. Tseng fell to his knees, cradling an open wound in his chest and stomach. Blood beat down steadily onto his hands, staining his shirt a deep red. He tried to look up at Sephiroth, but dizziness won and he fell to the floor at Sephiroth's feet.

"_Only death awaits you all,"_ Sephiroth said, as a blood red aura began to slowly seep into the room in front of Cloud and the others. _"But do not fear. For it is through death that a new spirit energy is born. Soon, you will live again as a part of me."_

He laughed. The echoes resounded off the walls of the chamber, growing thicker as the choking red aura grew deeper and darker. The spirit-like Sephiroth standing in the middle of the chamber lowered its sword and gazed directly in the direction of Cloud and the others, a chilling smile on its face. Then it leapt up and flew to the ceiling, disappearing within the red cloud. The last thing Cloud heard before the cloud closed in completely was Sephiroth's continuing evil laugh.

When the blood-red aura finally faded from sight, the companions found themselves back in the stone corridor. Ahead of them the pool of water shimmered coldly, as though chilled by its own horrific vision. Aeris turned to Cloud and the others, her face pale and hands shaking. "Did you see it?" she asked.

Tifa nodded nervously. "…I saw it," she replied, although she wished that she hadn't.

At the far side of the corridor, Vincent folded his arms and gazed at the pool. "An illusion that the Ancients showed…" he murmured softly.

Feeling a sudden wave of nausea from the pit of her stomach, Tifa slumped onto the floor. A cold chill swept across her body. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders. Sephiroth's words were echoing in the back of her mind. Tseng… She wished she could get the image of him lying injured outside the Temple out of her mind, but she couldn't blot it out. She hoped the Shinra had found him in time. Memories of her father lying in a pool of his own blood. Would that be their fate? Would they all…? Tifa squeezed her eyes shut.

She opened them again as she felt a small nuzzling at the back of her arm. Turning she saw Red XIII standing behind her, his furry head pressed against her arm. The hound looked up at her encouragingly, although Tifa could see the fear even in his calm and collected gaze. Forcing a brave smile on her face, Tifa patted the hound's shoulder, assuring him that she was okay. Red XIII stared at her intently for a few seconds more before settling back on his haunches and nodding silently. He didn't truly believe that she was all right, but he knew she would never admit to fear.

"…Where is this room with the pictures on the walls?" Cloud was asking Aeris as Tifa climbed back onto her feet. No one had noticed her fall and shake apart from Red XIII. If they others had seen it, they certainly didn't mention it.

"Almost there…" replied Aeris.

Cloud looked down at the floor, frowning thoughtfully. The others stood patiently, awaiting his decision. "Sephiroth is here, right?" he asked. Aeris nodded. Cloud looked down a moment longer, before he raised his gaze and looked at Aeris. "No matter what he thinks, it's going to end here. I'm taking him out!"

"You mean WE are, right?" said Barret, lifting his gun-arm high. A loud echoing click revealed that he had loaded the chamber with bullets.

"Don't forget about us," agreed Red XIII. Around him the others all nodded and commented in complete agreement with Barret and the hound. Even Tifa managed to nod, although her face was still pale and her hands were still trembling. But the same determination showed in her face. She wasn't about to let a little moment of self-doubt and fear stop her from continuing with Cloud and the others.

Cloud looked around at the group and smiled. They were a motley group, but they were certainly a spirited one. Although Vincent did not smile as the others did, Cloud knew that inside the mysterious man felt the same determination that the others shared. Even as Cloud watched, Vincent drew his gun from its holster and began loading new bullets, picked up from the weapon shop on the coast, into the chamber. When full Vincent twirled the gun loosely and slipped it back into the holster.

With everything settled, the companions headed off. Aeris took charge as she led them back up the corridor. No one was at all surprised to find the Ancient spirit they had been chasing waiting at the top. It seemed as though their very purpose was to guide the group through the maze.

The spirit smiled as Aeris approached. Its floating body moved bobbed up and down anxiously and it pointed to the right corridor. Aeris looked. The shadows enveloping the corridor began to clear. An open doorway was revealed from within the shadows where it had been hidden before. That was where they had to go next. Aeris took the spirit's cold, ghostly hands in her own, thanking him for his help.

She was about to walk away, but the spirit gripped her hand tighter and wouldn't let go. He began to mumble incoherently, his ghostly lips trying to form words he had long-since forgotten. Aeris tried hard to listen, but it was no use. It was like trying to understand a small child saying its first words. There were numbers… and words… but they were so messed up. Aeris really wished she could understand. "Nyum… nyum… six…" was all Aeris could make out of the inane babble.

The spirit released her. Aeris bowed in thanks and then hurried after the others, who were waiting for her by the door. Even beside the door the shadows were thick and heavy, and they could not see what lay beyond it. But that did not worry anyone. They were in high spirits now. They were confident that they could handle any dangers in their path, pass any trials the Temple threw at them. This level of confidence was probably only short-lived, and so they wanted to get moving before it dissipated. Cloud nodded at Aeris as she approached. Aeris nodded back, signalling that she was ready to move on. Cloud turned back to face the open door and stepped through the shadows…

…And nearly fell to his death.

There was no path on the other side of the door. It came to a very abrupt end—so abrupt that Cloud did not see it until he put his foot out and realised that there was nothing to stand on. Staggering, he waved his arms wildly, and almost fell over the edge. A large hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him safely back. Cloud glanced back at Barret in thanks.

The new room was circular and almost empty, except for open doors that were positioned around them. Each door had an ancient numeral carved above it, from I to XII. Standing alone in the centre of the room was a stone pedestal, glowing a calm, soothing blue. Three stone hands, like those on a clock, moved slowly around it. The hour hand stopped just ahead of their door, the X door.

Before Cloud could ask what they should do, the light on the pedestal began to glow brighter. It brightened and lifted from the pedestal, cloaking it in a light blue aura. A small, indistinct figure appeared in the centre, too faint to see clearly, but definitely there. Cloud opened his mouth to speak, but the figure spoke before him.

"_I am the Time Guardian."_ The figure's voice was quiet and melodious, almost musical. It was as though the figure was speaking from somewhere far from where they were. _"Ye who seek the knowledge of the Ancients. I control the time, select your path."_

Cloud turned to the others. The other companions looked anxiously at one another and shrugged, not knowing what to answer. Every single one of those doors led somewhere, he knew, but there was no clue as to where. More parts of the maze? Hidden rooms containing treasure (that would make Yuffie happy!)? It was incredibly time-consuming to search them all. It was time they just didn't have. If Sephiroth found the black materia before they did…

Then, Aeris stepped forward and faced the Time Guardian. "We choose the time half past ten," she said, loudly and clearly for the Time Guardian to hear.

Almost instantaneously the hands began to move. A loud, ear-piercing grating sound echoed through the chamber as the minute hand shook free of its still prison and began to tick slowly around the clock. Each time it moved the pedestal shuddered, sending tiny pieces of rock and dust falling into the black abyss beneath it. The hand moved nearly a full half hour, before stopping in front of the door marked VI—six.

"…_It is time… You may proceed," _said the Time Guardian. Aeris bowed slightly in thanks. The Time Guardian began to fade as the light seeped from the pedestal and disperse into the shadows. When the Time Guardian was gone, all was dark once again. The path ahead was clear.

Aeris turned and faced the others, grinning cheerfully. Cloud and the others were looking at her questioningly. Barret opened his mouth and began to speak, but he quickly shut it again and shrugged his heavy shoulders. Why bother asking how she knew when he wouldn't understand it anyway?

They began to make their way across the clock. Aeris led the way again, being the first to make the short jump onto the hour hand hovering about half a metre away from the door. The hand shuddered and creaked loudly as she put her weight on it, but it did not break and held firm. Cautiously she began to walk across it, one foot slowly in front of the other, but with enough speed so that she could outrun the approaching second hand, which was still ticking steadily.

She reached the pedestal just as the second hand passed above the hour hand. It ticked harmlessly passed and Aeris quickly motioned for the others to cross before she crossed the minute hand to the sixth door. They had to move quickly, for the second hand was approaching the minute door. Yuffie and Cid ended up having to jump the last few feet to the door to avoid being swept off the hand and into the abyss. When they were all safely across, they stepped through the sixth door.

The companions were surprised when they entered the next chamber. It was large, but not so much large in size as it was in height. They had been incredibly surprised when they stepped out of the doorway and saw a sheer rock face staring back at them, blocking any routes ahead. Instead the route was down below, by the means of a number of jutting ledges, each with doors. They stood on the top ledge. The companions groaned. Did they have to choose a door again?

A gentle clicking sound made Aeris look to her right. There was a very large stone door directly in the centre of the top ledge and in front of it was an Ancient spirit, locking the door with an old steel key. Aeris tugged on Cloud's shirt and he looked. As if realising it was being watched the spirit looked up and saw the nine companions staring at it. It stared too, until it jumped up in a panic and ran away, disappearing inside one of the shadowy doors.

Aeris ran over to the door the Spirit had been guarding. The stone doors were big and thick and loomed over her. She leaned against the doors and pushed with all her might. They did not budge. "Hey! It's locked!" she moaned. The spirit had locked the door. She turned to the others. "No good! We'll have to catch it!"

The others wailed in dismay. Cloud called everyone together. After a brief discussion and a few sarcastic comments from Barret about spiky-headed ex-SOLDIERS the group split up, moving to their assigned positions on the ledges below and muttering quietly about how the black materia was more trouble than it was worth. When the others were out of earshot, Aeris turned to Cloud.

"You must be tired," she said to him.

Cloud took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah," he admitted, smiling softly. Unknowingly he put his hand to his head and rubbed his temples. The headache was returning. "I want to go home."

Aeris covered her mouth and giggled. "Yeah. But it'll all be over soon! Just hang in there. Someday we'll look back at these hard times and laugh."

Cloud looked at her cheerful, smiling face and couldn't help but smile too. He was about to say that he hoped they could all laugh together someday. Perhaps someday they would all meet up again in Tifa's bar, the Seventh Heaven, and talk and laugh about their long journey together. The rises… and the falls… and Barret's sarcastic comments. Heck, he wouldn't even mind Cait being there right then. He was about to tell Aeris all this, but right then there was a loud cry from below.

The spirit had come out of its hiding place, thinking that the scary-looking intruders had gone. It had come out of one of the shadowy doors and came face-to-face with a tall, menacing looking figure with long dark hair and a flowing red cape. But before Vincent could grab the spirit it turned tail and fled back into the shadows. It emerged again just seconds later, right in front of Yuffie, who yelled loudly as she dived to grab the spirit.

The next few minutes looked like something out of a circus. The spirit dodged and dived, disappearing into the shadowy catacombs of the doors and reappearing just seconds later through another door. The nine companions worked hard to catch the spirit, but he was incredibly fast and managed to avoid all their lunges. Cid became incredibly confused when he tried to run through one of the doors and ended up stepping straight back onto the ledge—although it was a different ledge from the one he had started on.

Eventually, after numberless amounts of diving and lunging, they caught the panicking spirit. The spirit stood frozen, locked in the firm grips of Vincent and Cloud, who worked together to keep the terrified spirit under control until it calmed down. They were all sweating and covered in dust and dirt. But they had the spirit now and that was all that mattered.

They left it to Aeris to commune with the spirit, who, like the others, could only mumble certain words and they were disjointed and jumbled up. Somehow she got the spirit to understand that they weren't here to wreck the Temple. The spirit seemed to sigh in relief and handed out the steel key it used to lock the stone doors. Aeris said her thanks as Cloud and Vincent released the spirit, who floated off to the edge of the ledge to watch them.

The key in hand, Aeris walked over to the large set doors on the topmost ledge. She slid the key into the tiny lock on the front and turned it round. A loud, resonating click could be heard. The companions then worked together to push the large doors open. An eerie draft blew through the doors as they opened, but no one noticed. Then, when the doors were opened enough for people to slip through, they entered the next chamber.

Once inside, Aeris looked around. "This is the room with the murals…"

Cloud growled in his throat as he looked around the room.

"Where are you? Sephiroth!"

* * *

**Emerald:** Holy moly on a sour dough roley! An update! Yes, I know it's been a couple of months since my last update, but I've been on a break. I think with a fic this long, I deserve a break or two occasionally. What, you think I live and breathe FF7? Well, I do, but I also breathe Dragonlance, which I heart so much. You're a god, Raistlin Majere.** –floaty hearts of mage-loving doom-**


	27. Part 08: Chapter 27

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

A cold chill descended on the chamber. The companions stiffened in fright, as if sensing the approach of a dark and evil presence. The temperature of the room dropped so dramatically that they shivered, their breath coming out in short puffs of white. The cold froze their bodies and they could barely move. Their hands could not even move to reach their weapons.

The only one able to move was Cloud. Ignoring the growing chill he ran forward into the chamber, his glowing blue eyes looking around wildly for some sign of Sephiroth. He did not draw his sword. Sephiroth was here somewhere. Although he couldn't see it, he could feel it in his heart. Cloud skidded to a stop in front of the wall of murals. There was a flash of white light. Cloud looked to his right.

Sephiroth was there. He faced Cloud, standing beside the wall of murals. His entire body glowed with a strange white aura, his image slightly distorted and multiplied, like a shadow trying to walk within the living body. He raised his gaze to look at Cloud. There was a knowing smile on his face, an evil look in his green eyes.

Cloud looked back, silent. Sephiroth watched him closely, looking deep into Cloud's face, as though searching for something. When he found it he smiled shrewdly, although it was a hidden smile, invisible to Cloud. Sephiroth spread his arms wide and began to levitate in the air, his feet hovering above the floor.

"So cold." Sephiroth's voice was soft but chilling. "I am always by your side." The swordsman gently waved his hand to the murals behind him. His long leather cloak creaked as he moved. "Come."

Another flash of white light burst through the chamber, forcing Cloud to shield his eyes. When the light faded, Sephiroth had gone. But Cloud knew that Sephiroth would not go far. Without looking back at the others he ran forward, following the direction that Sephiroth had pointed him. He headed deeper into the mural chamber.

Tifa was about to run forward after Cloud when a hand grabbed her arm. She stopped and turned back to face Aeris. The Ancient seemed somewhat apprehensive, her forehead creased in concern. Tifa didn't need to ask what it was. She could feel it, too. The entire chamber seemed on edge. The air was crackling with conflicting power, just the way the atmosphere does before a storm breaks out upon the land. This was what the mural room felt like right now. The air was electric; the hairs on her arms were standing on end. Glancing around, Tifa could see that the others felt the same. Red XIII was nervous, Yuffie jumping from foot to foot. Only Vincent's face was impassive, unreadable. Already silent and aloof, he seemed even more so now he had seen Sephiroth with his own eyes.

Seeing that Cloud was beginning to pull away from them, the companions hurriedly ran after him. They did not get very far when another flash of light lit up the chamber and Sephiroth reappeared, just like before. Once again the man stood by the murals, no longer looking at them but up at the wall.

"Splendid," said Sephiroth without looking at them. He steadily turned and began to walk slowly toward the group as they stood nearby. His long silver hair swayed gently from side to side as he moved, his boots making nearly no sound on the ground. "A treasure house of knowledge…"

Cloud almost spat in anger. "I don't understand what you're saying!"

Sephiroth focused his green eyes on Cloud. The expression in those eyes sent chills down everyone's spines. They were cold eyes. Laughing eyes. Then he laughed. A deep, mocking laughter that sent more than chills down the companions' spines—it made their hearts skip a beat and made them sweat in fear. Sephiroth continued to laugh as he rose up off the floor again and flew back to another part of the chamber.

The companions ran, this time together, to the place where Sephiroth had stopped to wait for them. He did not move far. When they reached him he was once more looking up at the murals—eyeing them over with intense curiosity and smiling with the knowledge they brought. The main mural—the central piece of all the artworks—loomed before him. Sephiroth glanced at the group and then motioned to the fresco.

"Look well."

Everybody turned to look at the painting. It was old and faded, but it was the clearest of all the paintings, as well as the largest. Painted on the ancient stone wall were people, many people, standing together with their heads turned to the sky, arms raised before them as though trying to ward off something terrible. Above them, in the 'sky' was a gigantic painting of a rock engulfed in flame. This rock was heading toward the people. This was what they were trying to prevent.

"At what?" Cloud asked, not understand what Sephiroth was trying to say. What was so important about an old wall painting?

Sephiroth seemed almost amused. "At what which adds to the knowledge of…" He turned away and spread his arms wide, lifting his head to the sky. "I am becoming one with the Planet." He laughed again, his laughter shuddering through him.

While he laughed his body began to rise up from the floor again. He flew backward, moving so fast that Cloud and his friends quickly lost sight of him. They looked quickly around the chamber. When they finally spotted him they began to run toward him, hurrying to catch up with him.

At the end of the chamber, Sephiroth sat silently in front of the altar. His head bobbed as though he were not fully awake. His sword sat silently across his legs. His hand lightly gripped the handle, not fully aware that he was holding it.

Resting on the altar behind him was a model of the Temple of the Ancients. It was made of many interlocking pieces of stone and seemed to radiate with power. The model flickered as the light from the fire torches around it cast fiery shadows upon it.

None of this Sephiroth noticed, so unaware was he of his surroundings. It was only when he heard the thud of approaching feet that he opened his eyes and lifted his head. Gazing through almost sleepy eyes, he saw Cloud and his friends approaching.

"…Mother… It's almost time… Soon… We will become one."

The companions approached. Worn out and weary from their long trek through the Temple, they were panting now. Except for Cloud. His eyes were still alight; glaring at Sephiroth with such anger that it seemed to come off him in waves. It was to Cloud that Sephiroth looked, before slowly climbing to his feet.

"How do you intend to become one with the Planet?" Aeris demanded.

Sephiroth stood upright. "It's simple," he said. Fully awake now, he tightened his grip on his sword and swiped it in front of him. His 'shadow' had returned, moving almost in time with him. "Once the Planet is hurt, it gathers Spirit Energy to heal the injury." He swiped his sword again, marking the point the injury. "The amount of energy gathered depends on the size of the injury."

The companions watched as Sephiroth then took his sword in both hands and thrust it deep into the rock beneath him. The sword cut easily through the rock, sinking a good two feet beneath its surface. But it was Sephiroth's face that scared them. The face was manic, smiling, as though he gained pleasure from the act of injury.

"…What would happen if there was an injury that threatened the very life of the Planet?" Sephiroth continued, not taking his eyes away from the point where his sword cut the rock. "Think how much energy would be gathered!"

Once more Sephiroth smiled. He pulled the sword from the rock. His eyes widened in desire, as though he could see the Spirit Energy forming in the small wound he had just created. As he continued, his body began to glow.

"Ha ha ha. And at the centre of that injury, will be me. All that boundless energy will be mine." Almost unconsciously Sephiroth swiped his sword in front of him. The tip narrowly missed Cloud, Aeris and Cid, who were closest to him. "By merging with the energy of the Planet, I will become a new life form, a new existence. Melding with the Planet… I will cease to exist as I am now… Only to be reborn as a 'God' to rule over every soul." By now his whole body was glowing an eerie pinkish-white colour.

It took a few moments for Sephiroth's words to sink in. "An injury powerful enough to destroy the Planet?" said Aeris. "Injure… the Planet?"

With his sword hand Sephiroth pointed to the mural they had just past—the one with people and the fire-rock in the sky. "Behold that mural," he said to them. "The Ultimate Destructive Magic… Meteor."

In an instant his plan became crystal clear. The companions uttered gasps of shock and horror. Barret gave a pain-filled cry and raised his gun, but Vincent quickly stopped him. It would do no good to shoot Sephiroth when they were all so close together. But Cloud voiced all their thoughts in just three simple words.

"That'll never happen!"

Sephiroth smiled. Then, without warning, he suddenly leaped forward. He was heading straight for Cloud. Cloud had no time to draw his sword. Not that he needed to, because Sephiroth's body suddenly became transparent and passed right through him, the sword flying harmlessly through his chest.

A sharp pain like a powerful electric shock exploded inside Cloud's head as Sephiroth passed, making his head spin and stars dance like fireworks in front of his eyes. He could hear Sephiroth's voice inside his head, yelling at him to 'Wake up!' Cloud could not speak or breathe. Panic engulfed him as he became swamped in an endless darkness, with Sephiroth's voice the only thing he could hear. All of this happened in just a second. After that instant the pain was gone and Cloud could see and breathe again, although the stars and dizziness remained. He spun around, the others invisible to him, trying to see where Sephiroth had gone.

"Where are you? Sephiroth!"

Another blast of electricity burst through his mind and Cloud spun around to face the others, although he wasn't looking at them. He ran forward, pushing past the group as though they weren't there. He headed back toward the murals.

Aeris also began to push her way through the group, calling for Cloud and trying to grab hold of him. She couldn't reach him and it seemed as though he couldn't hear her, either. "Wait, Cloud!" She broke through the group at last and ran forward, the others following behind her.

Seconds later they skidded to a stop—staring at the horrifying sight before them.

Cloud had come to a stop in front of the central mural—the mural they now knew depicted the terrifying power known as 'Meteor'. Cloud stood silently before it, looking at it, and yet not seeing it at all. He was trembling from head to foot, his body glowing with that seem eerie, ghostly glow that Sephiroth had. And, like Sephiroth, Cloud had a dark shadow of himself that moved with him, slightly out of time with the rest of his body. Cloud's face was pale, his blue eyes blank and empty as if in some faraway place. He looked like a ghost out of a nightmare!

"Cloud!" cried Aeris, horrified by what she was seeing. She tried to look away.

In response to her voice, Cloud snapped his head round to face her. Yuffie cried out. Cloud's eyes really were blank and empty—the pupils were nowhere to be seen. A small, dark smile touched his lips as he looked at them. If he even saw them at all. He glanced at them emptily for a moment before turning back to the mural.

"Cloud!" called Cait. "What's wrong with you?"

Cloud snapped his head round to look at them again. His face did not change. His eyes were still empty. The dark smile was still there. His shadow moved with him, slightly out of time and giving him a ghostly aura. One look from those cold, empty eyes made the others shiver. Something was not right. Cloud turned back to face the mural again. His shoulders started to shudder as he began to laugh.

"Ha ha ha…" Cloud's laugh sounded ghostly and eerie. The voice was his, and yet it was also not his own. Yuffie shivered down to her boots. "Black Materia. Ha ha ha… Call Meteor." He continued to laugh, his whole body shaking as he moved.

"Cloud! Get a hold of yourself!" Aeris shouted.

There was a flicker of recognition in Cloud's eyes as he glanced at her again. He stopped laughing and the dark smile vanished. He squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his head tightly, as though trying to stop himself from hearing something. Still the shadow moved with him. In Cloud's mind, the ringing noise became louder.

"Cloud…" his voice trembled as he spoke, "I'm… Cloud…" Cloud clutched hard at his head, digging his fingernails deep into the skin of his scalp until he drew blood, which trickled down his face. Then he let go and shook his head. "How should I?"

Cloud tried to move, but his body was held in place by some unknown force. The others watched in horror as Cloud began to perform various poses they had seen him do frequently during the time that they had travelled together. From tilting his head in confusion to the simple standing gesture that he made every now and then—all of these were repeated over and over. Behind him the others watched, frozen, each of them thinking that at last Cloud had completely lost his mind and gone mad. They watched until, at last, Cloud finished moving, and the shadowy version of himself disappeared inside his body again. The glow faded.

Cloud nodded. "…I remember! I remember my way!"

Now able to move, he turned to face the others. He saw them all looking at him strangely. No one would look him in the eye. Yuffie looked at the ground, Cid scratching his head, and Red XIII tried to look as though he was looking at something else. Tifa had turned away completely, unable to look anymore. Only Aeris looked at Cloud directly, her eyes filled with concern.

"…Cloud."

Cloud shrugged his shoulders dismissively. He then glanced over her shoulder at the others. Confused, he said, "Mm? What's wrong? Is something wrong?"

Aeris sighed sadly. As she had expected, Cloud had no memory of what had just happened. "…It's nothing," she lied, "so don't worry about it." She turned around to face the others, a stern look in her eyes. "Right, Cloud! It's nothing." The others shrugged, not wanting to say anything. Aeris stared at them for a moment longer before turning back to Cloud. "Sephiroth got away," she said.

"…Don't worry about it," said Cloud, oblivious of Aeris's cold, telling stare. "I understand what he was saying." Not seeing the astonished gazes of the others, Cloud turned back to the mural of Meteor. "So this must be Meteor, right?"

One by one everyone raised their heads and gazed up at the mural. It was most certainly the main focus of all the paintings—being both the largest and the clearest. All the other paintings were scratched and faded with age, while this one remained almost clear. A few scratches in the rock here and there told its age, but the image itself remained clear. The giant rock in the sky tumbled toward the people below. People who were understandably very afraid of its coming.

Tifa looked up at the mural in awe. "Is something going to fall from the sky?"

Cid curled his lip in disgust, unimpressed. "I don't know what the hell it is but it's falling from the sky?" He snorted derisively. "Hmph! It's not even an omen."

"This must be magic." Aeris walked toward the mural. She laid a hand upon the ancient stone, feeling its rough texture beneath her soft palm. "Just what Sephiroth was saying. The Ultimate Destructive Magic, Meteor." She let her hand fall and turned back to the group. "It finds small drifting Planets with its magic. And then collides with them. This Planet might get wiped out entirely…"

There was a long pause as Aeris's words sunk in. In everyone's thoughts the same image flowed. The image of a single Planet floating aimlessly, harmlessly, through space, unaware that it was about to be snatched off course. When it is, it cannot escape. It is pulled by an irresistible, alluring force away from the space it knows. Before it can realise what's happening that Planet finds itself on a collision course with another Planet. It cannot turn. It cannot run. It collides into that Planet.

Their Planet.

Whilst they were thinking about this, something began to happen to the chamber in which they stood. The ground began to faintly tremble beneath their feet. A dark red aura settled upon the chamber, blotting out the murals. The room also became tremendously hot, as though a fierce fire had suddenly been lit.

Cloud turned his head round and round, looking to the ceiling.

"Sephiroth?"

No sooner did he speak did he realise he was wrong. He turned to face the top corner of the mural room, where a large red dragon sat waiting atop a large gap in the ceiling, which hadn't been there before. Cloud quickly drew his sword from behind him. As he moved, he was aware of the voice laughing inside his head.

"_Ha ha ha… It is not me."_

* * *

**Emerald:** A slightly shorter chapter here. I think I'm starting to get back into writing now. I think that break has refuelled me for another batch of writing. Although writing will be slower now. I'm more of a fan artist now than a fan writer. But I'm not going to give up on this fic. I've spent two years of my life on this. It would be a waste if I gave up now. Besides, I promised I would finish it. 


	28. Part 08: Chapter 28

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

The red dragon stalked its way around the top of the hole. Its small red eyes gazed fiercely down at the companions. Cloud and the others stood mesmerised as the beast walked in a large circle, its head twisting on its long neck so that its gaze never left them. Once it completed its predatory loop it reached out a long, clawed arm and began to crawl down from the hole.

The dragon truly was a magnificent beast. It could almost be described as beautiful. The beast had a large, wide body covered in finely pressed scales that made glorious patterns across its back and neck. Muscles swelled underneath firm red skin, particularly around the powerful thigh muscles on which the beast walked. The sleek head was slightly pointed, with red horns rising up from the side of the skull. Sharp teeth filled the mouth. Its red eyes glared sharply at the group. They were intelligent eyes—a predator's eyes.

The rest of the dragon's body slid out of the hole and the creature dropped to the ground and faced the group. The sharp, curled claws of its four-fingered hands dug deep into the stone as it landed and the ground shook beneath its bulk. Its spiked tail thudded onto the floor. In the wider chamber the dragon stretched its treasured wings. They unfolded from its back and spread out until they almost filled the chamber from wall to wall. It was so majestic; Cloud and his friends could not help but feel awed by its ancient magnificence.

They were not in awe for long. The dragon, seeing its prey, lifted its head and roared. The sound of its roar shook the chamber and the group to the very core of their beings. Fear such as they had never felt before shot down their spines. Yuffie dropped her weapon in fright; Cid almost dropped his.

Cloud was the first to snap out of the dragon-fear that had gripped him. Drawing his sword, he ran forward and leaped into the air. The dragon snapped its jaws, trying to bite him in half in a single strike. Cloud, prepared for such an assault, twisted his body away from the lunging jaws and swiped his sword. The blade struck the top of the dragon's lip but did not piece the hard skin, instead scraping across the finely pressed scales as though it were diamond.

Realising his attach had failed, Cloud pressed his feet against the dragon's muzzle and jumped away as the dragon lunged again.

A bullet from below zipped through the air and caught the dragon on the underside of its jaw. Shrinking back, the dragon looked down in annoyance at the group below. They had overcome their dragon-fear now and were ready to fight. The dragon's sideward eyelids blinked, and its slithery tongue flickered inside its mouth. Very well, it would take them all on.

Turning its great girth to one side, the red dragon swung its tail with all its might across the floor. A great whoosh was heard as the thick tail swung across the chamber floor, heading straight toward the group.

Seeing the tail coming, the group of eight, plus Cloud, who had just landed after his assault, jumped up into the air. Landing on the tail for an instant, the nine used it as a platform to propel them higher up toward the dragon's most vulnerable area—its head.

Yuffie, with her lighter and more agile body, soared ahead of the others. She hurled her shuriken away from her, and it swept through the air. So fast it could barely be seen, it sliced across the front of the dragon's face, narrowly missing its unprotected eyes. The blades cut into the softer skin that surrounded the face, before flying away in a loop around the chamber.

Bullets shot through the air as Vincent and Barret teamed up to fire upon the dragon's head, also trying to aim for those exposed eyes. The dragon snaked back its head and recoiled. Bullets from Vincent's shotgun and Barret's gun-arm tore into the side of the dragon's face as it turned its head away. Dark red blood sprayed into the air, landing on their faces.

Tifa reached out and grabbed onto the dragon's horn with her glove. The hardened diamond knuckles from her new gloves provided an excellent way of breaking through the scales protecting the dragon's body. One well-aimed punch from her right arm broke the horn clean in half—the rough diamond slicing through the bone with almost perfect ease.

This new pain caused the dragon to screech and fall back, lifting the front of its body off the floor and stand on its hind legs. This provided the perfect opening for Cid and Cloud who, after leaping from the dragon's shoulders and using its thrashing tail as a propeller once more, drove their weapons into the dragon's abdomen.

Spear and sword cut deep into the dragon's fleshy underside, spurting out blood that covered the two as they delved their weapons further in. The Slash Lance, made in Wutai by weapon-smiths who knew the strength of their weapons, had built the tip of the spear just so that when it dug into a creature's body, the slightly jagged edges, normally invisible to the eyes, tore the victim's insides apart.

This is what happened with the dragon as Cid delved his spear deeper, and then with another sharp tug pulled it out. As Cid and Cloud jumped away from the attack site, more red blood and ooze spilled out of the thin slash marks. The two landed back on the ground and dashed apart, trying to avoid the deadly swinging tail.

Despite its growing pain and loss of blood, the dragon could not stop to tend to its wounds. Red XIII was leaping across its muzzle, his swift form a red blur in front of its eyes. Red XIII did not stop except to land a lethal scratch across the soft tissue around the dragon's eyes. He had already slashed one eye open—jelly and blood was pouring from the bloody mound that was already swelling shut. Now the dragon had only one good eye with which to see—and that was focused on striking Red XIII down. Flames filled the dragon's mouth: it was preparing a fire attack.

Seeing the danger approaching, Red XIII quickly leapt away. He landed on the nearby wall and dug his claws into the rock to find a handhold. He scraped down a good few inches before coming to a stop halfway down the wall.

Craning his neck back so that he could see, Red XIII saw the dragon facing him. The jaws were parted and Red XIII could see the flames that were burning in the back of its throat. Already he could feel the heat; in his mind's eye he could feel the flames licking at his defenceless flesh, toasting him into a charred lump. A tingle of fear crept through Red XIII. Thoughts of his grandpa flashed through his mind. He couldn't die here. Not now.

A cold draft of air swept across his nostrils, and Red XIII opened his good eye wide and glanced sharply to his right. The dragon too, sensed the cold wave and stopped its attack, also turning. Flames still burned deep in its throat, smoke snaking out of its nostrils and mouth like tendrils.

To their right, a slender figure with ice-white skin and surrounded in an arctic vapour hovered in the air. Shiva had been summoned into the fray. Knowing that the ice goddess's cold magic would be effective against the flames, Tifa had summoned the goddess in the hopes that she could save her comrade from a burning inferno.

Her cold blue eyes open, Shiva gazed upon the dragon as it stood inches away from Red XIII, who was scrabbling quickly down the wall. Shiva nodded in understanding and raised her hand, drawing the cold vapour around her into her palm to create a devastating attack.

Sensing its danger, the red dragon drew back its head, taking in a deep breath. Then it breathed out with great valour, forcing all the flames it had gathered out of its stomach and throat.

The tunnel of flames swept through the air, making the temperature of the chamber rise to almost unbearable levels. The metal of the companions' weapons heated up and glowed red—most of them had to drop them to the floor or else be burned by the heat. Aeris, standing to one side to guard the altar from attack, shielded her eyes with her arm, protecting herself from the heat.

Only Shiva seemed unconcerned as she slowly drew in the icy energy. With a great explosion of fire and heat, the flames absorbed the ice goddess into a fiery red cloud. All traces of Shiva vanished—all that could be seen was fire. The dragon raised its head and roared—revelling in its victory over the goddess.

Then a speck of white light burst through the flames. First one, then another, and then another could be seen amidst the dark red of the fire. More beams of white light pierced through the flames, until eventually the ball of fire burst apart in a sea of cold white light. In the centre of the light… was Shiva.

The ice goddess had finished gathering the energy she needed, and now the dragon, with its bleeding wounds in its chest and face, and one deep slash mark on its hide by Barret's chainsaw attachment, was open and vulnerable. The goddess lowered her arm and held out her palm. With a small, icy smile, she unleashed her attack.

The dragon could not escape. Its immense size meant that it could not turn very far in any direction. Its only escape was up, and its wings did not have the space needed to fly out of the way. Besides, attacks from Cid's spear had shredded one of its wings, leaving it completely useless.

The ice blast from Shiva's Diamond Dust struck the dragon like a thousand icy daggers. The dragon shrunk back as arctic-cold icy specks stabbed it all over, melting into its flesh and freezing it to the bone. The dragon tried to roar, but no sound escaped its frozen mouth. Its remaining good eye became hard as it turned into ice. Soon the entire dragon became encased in a thick blanket of ice.

Just seconds after the dragon was frozen, the ice casing surrounding it began to break. Cracks began to appear all over the icy monument. Fearing the dragon was breaking loose; the companions raised their cooling weapons and stood ready. But there was no need, for as the ice shattered and broke apart, the body of the dragon broke with it. Frozen to the core of its being, to the point of becoming ice itself, the dragon melted into the floor, becoming a large puddle of icy water on the chamber floor.

All that remained of the magnificent but deadly creature was a single ball of red materia, lying in the middle of the puddle.

The battle over, the group gave a huge sigh of relief. Tifa dropped onto the floor, offering her thanks to the ice goddess, who had returned to the materia on her wrist. Everyone was silent for a minute, until a resounding click and a hiss made them jump. It was only Cid, acting nonchalant as he lit a cigarette. Taking in the tobacco deeply, he exhaled and sighed in content. Barret shook his fist at the man angrily, while Vincent stepped into the water to retrieve the new piece of materia.

Cloud looked around the group. They all seemed okay. Everyone was spattered with blood from the dragon, with the exception of Aeris, who was running around with a damp cloth cleaning up the blood from everyone's faces. No one seemed hard. That was good.

"Any sign of Sephiroth?" asked Cloud, bringing them all back to business.

Aeris shook her head. "He disappeared," she said.

Cloud crossed his arms and frowned in thought. So Sephiroth was gone again. Where had he gone this time? Perhaps he was still in the Temple somewhere, waiting for them to find him. Or had he gone somewhere else? What was he really up to? A throbbing pain in the back of his head made Cloud wince. He rubbed his temples hard, and the pain subsided. When he looked up he saw that the others had all moved away and were gathered around the altar. Cloud jogged over toward them.

"What is this?" said Cloud, indicating the statue of the Temple on the altar. The others looked from one to another and shrugged. They had no idea.

It was a statue of the most intricate design Cloud had ever seen. It resembled the exterior of the Temple of the Ancients in every way, except for the rope bridge that was built outside. Cloud was almost certain that the statue even had the weather damage that was on the actual Temple carved onto its surface. But that's just silly, he mused to himself. It's just a statue.

Aeris leaned over to examine the statue more closely. "…There's something written on it," she said, squinting. Running her finger over a small plaque at the statue's base, she read, "…B.l.a.c.k……M.a.t.e.r.i.a." She paused to contemplate the letters for a second. When the words finally came together, she jumped back in alarm. The expressions on the faces of the others told her that they understood as well.

This statue was the Black Materia.

"Black Materia!!" Cloud exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Nine sets of eyes fell on the minute stone statue. Was it really true? Was this stone statue the Black Materia? It did not look like any materia they had ever seen before. Normally materia came in the shape of a small orb that could be fitted into a slot on a person's weapon or armour, allowing them to utilise its hidden powers. Even the seemingly useless materia that Aeris was using as part of her hair ribbon was shaped like an orb. If this was materia, it was certainly not the normal kind.

Aeris's materia… Cloud found himself drawn away from the statue and instead was looking at Aeris, who was facing away from him. He could see the pale white orb of her materia amidst the thick locks of her brown hair as it curled around her neck and upper back. In the faint light from the torches the materia looked as though it was pulsing with unknown energy. Cloud rubbed his eyes and looked again. The materia was plain and nondescript again. What did that materia do? Cloud was about to ask Aeris about it, when she suddenly shook her head vigorously, and the orb became lost in her hair.

"Hey!" the Ancient exclaimed suddenly, catching everyone's attention. Everyone turned to look at her expectantly. She was an Ancient, after all. But Aeris didn't know what to do. Instead she looked at Cloud eagerly. "…Black Materia. What should we do, Cloud?"

Now Cloud felt all eyes turn to him as everyone waited for his decision. Cloud looked at the floor. Sephiroth was planning to injure, and perhaps destroy, the Planet. Cloud had no doubt that he was planning to use the Black Materia to do it. If that was the case, then there was no way they could leave the Black Materia here where Sephiroth could get it.

Cloud narrowed his eyes. "Take it."

He stepped up to the statue. There was nothing holding the statue in place—and it did not look like there were any traps or anything. He found this rather odd, but thought nothing serious about it until he took hold of the statue and tried to lift it.

The statue itself did not move. However, as Cloud tugged on it, an immense tremor shook the Temple. The walls shook and trembled, sending clouds of dust and sand falling from the ceiling. A terrible groaning sound echoed against the walls as though something was screaming in pain. A ripping sound from the hidden depths below them roared up to them—it sounded as though the very Temple was being ripped apart by its roots. Alarmed, Cloud released the statue, and the tremors stopped. He turned to Aeris and shrugged, clueless.

"Wait a minute," said the Ancient. "I'll ask!"

Aeris closed her eyes for a moment, her heart calling out to the many spirits that were drifting throughout the Temple. Upon asking her question, she received a sudden flurry of answers—most of them inaudible. Frowning, she tried to ask the spirits to calm down and explain their answers. With some effort she was able to hear one particular spirit, although her words were still drowned out by the noise surrounding her. Aeris ran a little ways away from her friends, trying to hear the spirit's words better.

"I don't understand……" said Aeris. She moved to another spot, aware all the while that the others were watching her closely. Now she could hear the spirit, but what she was saying shocked even Aeris. "What? Really!?" Thanking the spirit for the information, Aeris ran back to Cloud, her face anxious. "They said that the Temple itself is the Black Materia," she told him.

Cloud tilted his head to one side, confused. "What do they mean?"

Aeris did not seem to hear him. She was walking steadily around the altar, her staff in her hands, looking up at the walls around her. She eyed the murals and the huge stone blocks that made the walls, and the smaller bricks that made the floor, mesmerised by what she had learned. "So, this whole building is the Black Materia?"

"This huge temple?" said Cloud, shocked. He looked at the ancient walls around him. "This is the Black Materia? Then no one could take it."

Done with her earthly inspection, Aeris came to a stop beside the altar. "Hmm, it's pretty hard," she said. She gestured to the statue resting on the altar. "You see this is a model of the Temple of the Ancients. And inside it is a device, which gets smaller and smaller each time you solve a puzzle. As the model becomes smaller, you become smaller, too. Until it's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand."

"So, if we solve the puzzles, the Black Materia will get smaller and smaller and we can take it out?" asked Cloud.

"Yes, but there's one thing…" Aeris paused, her brow creasing in worry. "You can only answer the puzzles inside the Temple. So, anyone who solves the puzzle will be crushed by the Temple."

"I see…" Cloud came over to stand next to Aeris and looked down at the intricate model, which seemed so small compared to him. "The Ancients didn't want dangerous magic to be taken out of the Temple so easily…" He folded his arms.

"Guess stuff this dangerous is best left alone," said Cid, throwing his used cigarette on the floor and stamping it out. He was about to pull out another cigarette, but a glare from Yuffie made him put the packet back beneath his goggles and pay attention to the matter at hand.

Tifa, knotting her fingers together anxiously, took a step back away from the altar. "Let's just leave it, okay?" she asked quietly. No one could see her hands trembling.

Now that she knew that she was standing inside the Black Materia, she did not feel the peace and comfortableness she had felt before. That was all gone now. Instead she felt the deadly power of the Black Materia, wrapping around her heart like tendrils searching for prey. It made her uncomfortable, and she wanted nothing more than to run away from the Temple and never come back.

"No," said Cloud, shaking his head firmly. "We've got to think of a way to get it out. Because Sephiroth has got lots of different flunkies. It's nothing to him to throw their lives away to get the Black Materia. This place isn't safe." He reached out again and gently tugged on the statue, just to be sure it couldn't be moved. Like before the Temple shook violently, and more dust fell from the ceiling.

"So what are we going to do?" said Aeris.

While all this was going on no one had been paying very much attention to Cait Sith. The cat had moved his Mog away from the rest of the group, and was murmuring seemingly to himself. No one could hear him talking, nor could they hear the small replies coming from a small chip on his wrist. Now the cat nodded, murmured something else, and then bounded back toward the group.

"I heard your situation!" the cat piped up readily. He moved past Vincent and a glaring Barret to stand in the centre of the group. Ignoring Barret's glower and shaking fist, he turned to Cloud. "Don't forget about me. Everything you said makes perfect sense." He patted his furry chest. "You can use my stuffed body for the future of the Planet."

While normally this would have been a good idea and solved the problem easily, knowing the cat's past history of treachery made Cloud instantly suspicious.

"We can't let Sephiroth get his hands on the Black Materia," the ex-SOLDIER said with a harsh tone. He gazed distrustfully at the cat. "And we can't let the Shinra get theirs on it either."

Cait sagged heavily on top of the Mog, his furry face crunching in a mixture of hurt and anger. "So that means you don't trust me?" he whispered. Cloud's lack of response answered that question. Cait swallowed heavily, shaking his head. "But Cloud. There's really nothing else you can do." Sitting up on his Mog, he looked around pleadingly at the group. "Everyone, please trust me."

Cait looked from one person to the other, desperately trying to win their support. At first they all looked back at him with looks of suspicion and distrust. No one wanted to put their trust in this treacherous cat, whom they now knew worked for Shinra. But they couldn't just leave the Black Materia in here where Sephiroth would eventually get it. Cait was right…

"I guess we have no choice," Cloud admitted finally.

Cait jumped up happily on his Mog. He seemed genuinely pleased that Cloud had decided to trust him with this very important and very dangerous task. The cat's face was lit up with excitement—as much as it could, considering it was nothing more than a remote stuffed animal. Eventually the cat settled down and grinned at the group.

"All righty then!" Cait exclaimed, his voice almost trembling in his delight. He patted his furry chest again with his megaphone. "Leave it all to me! Everyone, hurry up and get outside." As an afterthought, he added, "I'll go with you to a safe place."

With that Cait turned and bounded across the chamber toward the large doors at the other end, which had mysteriously opened again now that the red dragon was gone. Reluctantly the others followed him, still not happy about placing their faith in the robotic cat. Yet, as Cait had said, what other choice did they have?

They followed the cat out of the chamber and back towards the clock in silence. The same thoughts were running through their minds. They could all guess what was going to happen. The Shinra were more than likely waiting for them somewhere outside the Temple. Once Cait completed his 'sacrifice' and obtained the Black Materia for them, the Shinra would rush in and take it for themselves. And it was no safer in Shinra's hands than it was in Sephiroth's. At that point everyone determined that they would fight to the death before letting the Shinra take the Black Materia.

Cait led them to the clock, which was set at exactly six o' clock, leading a direct path to the door opposite the one where they were now. The Time Guardian no longer appeared to ask for their time, so they took this as a sign that this was the way out of the Temple. Either way, Cait bounded across the hands without hesitation, leaping through the open doorway before the second hand could knock him off. The others followed more slowly, taking their time.

The doorway led them to a short corridor. At the end of the corridor was a large set of double doors set into the stone. Cait had come to a stop near the doors and was looking up at them thoughtfully. He seemed a little confused, as though he had not expected the wall and doors to be there.

Not aware of the cat's confusion, Cloud walked past him and stepped up to the doors. There was no handle or bell that he could see. Curious, he knocked on the door. Strange, he thought. The door was warm, almost red hot. He received no answer to his knock, however, so he turned back to his friends. He shrugged.

"It's warm…" he muttered.

As he spoke, the entire corridor began to shake and tremble. The ground beneath their feet shook a little, not quite violently enough to knock them over, but enough to make them all wobble and shake from side to side. After a few moments the trembling stopped and they were able to stand again.

"This isn't good," Cloud said, looking around.

Since Cloud was standing with his back to the door, he was unable to see the monster that was beginning to emerge from the wall behind him. Appearing head first, the monster began to push itself out of the doors themselves, apparently a living part of the wall and door.

A small, grotesque head with small eyes and bony features, attached to an elongated neck where the ribs of the spine could be seen on the neck, pushed out of the wall. On either side of the head, two sets of arms emerged, slinking out of the wall. The arms were surprisingly thin, about the same width as Cloud, with three long, bony fingers tipped with ribbed claws. The monster came out no further than that, but the wall that it was attached to shuddered and broke free of its restraints, sending dust falling to the floor.

Ahead of Cloud, the others all looked up in trepidation as the monster emerged behind Cloud. Aeris, eyes widened and pupils contracted, raised a shaky arm and pointed behind Cloud.

"Cloud… …Behind you."


	29. Part 08: Chapter 29

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Cloud had already begun to act. His hand was already on his sword, slowly drawing it from the strap across his back. On either side of him, he could see the monster's hands slowly beginning to snake towards him. He knew what the monster was now. It was known as 'Demon Gate'—a demonic monster summoned by powerful magic in order to protect the entrances and exits to temples and other buildings. Disguised as a wall or door, the monster lured intruders into a false sense of security, and attacked when they were close enough. The only way to tell it apart from the actual landscape was the betraying warmth of its body.

Cloud sprang forward, leaping away from the monster's grasp. The claws thrust forward, trying to grab him. Cloud felt the monster's claws rake across his arms, digging into his flesh. Five paper-thin slits of red streaked his upper arms, three on his left, two on his right, as the claws cut across him. The Demon Gate's hands were unable to get a proper grip on him, however, and Cloud ran clear.

Sliding to a stop, Cloud turned and faced the Demon Gate, his Buster Sword raised above his head. He mustered all the power of his materia into his sword and it crackled with the intense energy. When he thrust the blade down that energy was released, firing in a single curved beam toward the Demon Gate.

The Blade Beam struck the monster in the centre of its head. A deep gash formed in the middle of its brow, though its rocky form allowed no blood to seep from the wound. After striking the head, the beam of energy then split into two more beams, each flying in opposite directions toward the monster's hands. The beams sliced through the thinner arms with ease, leaving them as rocky stubs on the floor.

Recoiling from the pain in its head and the loss of its arms, the Demon Gate shuddered and moved back, the wall part of its body scraping across the floor as it moved. Unable to use its claws, it was a more vulnerable target. Cloud was about to raise his sword in preparation for another powerful Blade Beam attack that would finish off the monster for good, when someone else darted forward.

It was Red XIII. The hound was charging at full speed toward the monster, moving so fast that the air around him began to whoosh and whistle piercingly. The monster did not have time to react or brace itself for the attack. Red XIII leaped forward, using his momentum to boost him forward so that he was nothing more than a blur of red dashing across their vision. Then, with a flash, Red XIII disappeared.

Everyone waited, wondering what had become of Red XIII. The Demon Gate stood frozen, rooted to the spot where it stood. Not a breath escaped from anyone's lips. They stood poised, hands not even on their weapons, waiting.

Then, something began to happen to the Demon Gate. A big crack appeared in the wall-like form above its head. It was a small crack at first, but as they watched it grew larger and larger, spreading downward. The monster did not react as the crack reached its body protruding from the rock and continue to spread. The crack moved down toward the monster's head, creating a deep split all the way down the middle, continuing to move until it finally touched the floor.

More cracks began to spread in all directions from the centre, reaching out to the outer walls, floor and ceiling. Finally, the Demon Gate fell apart, crumbling into rocky debris that scattered across the corridor floor, revealing the path that had been hidden beyond.

Standing on the other side of the broken wall was Red XIII.

* * *

"I'll handle the rest!" said Cait once he had gotten everyone's attention. They were all gathered around Red XIII, patting him on the head and back as praise for defeating the Demon Gate. Cait Sith directed his Mog to bounce across the floor toward the door that led to the clock. "Well, everyone…" he said with a hint of sadness. "Take care of yourselves!" He began to walk toward the door.

Seeing Cait about to leave to make his sacrifice for them, Aeris couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. True, the cat was a Shinra employee in disguise, and had betrayed them by giving the Keystone to the Shinra, but she couldn't help but feel sad that this stuffed cat was about to give his life so they could get the Black Materia.

"Cait…" she whispered softly. A tear formed in her eyes. Despite his faults, she could not help but like the jovial, fortune-telling cat. Unable to bear it any longer, Aeris ran over to Cloud and tugged on his arm. "Come on, Cloud…" she pleaded. "Say something."

Cloud looked over at Cait. Cait, standing by the door, was looking back at Cloud with a hopeful expression in his eyes—if indeed they could express emotion. Although he was just a remote controlled cat, there was something about him that made him seem more alive. In truth, Cloud also felt a little regret at treating the cat so coldly. He deserved it, but deep down Cloud was also sorry to see the cat go like this.

He opened his mouth to say what he thought, but found that he choked when the words came out. Scratching his head and looking away in embarrassment, he said, "I'm not good at this."

A small smile touched Cait's face. "Hmm, I understand," he said, nodding his head. "I feel the same too." Even though he knew that he had another body prepared once his job was done, he could not help but feel like he was saying goodbye to them for the last time. In a way he was, in this body at least. A new body would make it seem like he was meeting them again for the first time. Of course… he added to himself with a chuckle, they don't know that I'm coming back.

"Why don't you read our fortunes?" suggested Aeris, running over to him.

Cait blinked in confusion, then smiled the memory of his cover came back to him. "Say, that's right…" he said with a laugh. "I haven't done it in a while, huh?" He rocked back and forth rapidly on top of his Mog, holding his feet with his hands. "I'm so excited. Right or wrong, I'm still the same ol' me." Coughing himself to seriousness, the cat sat astride his Mog and grasped at the controls that managed his fortune telling. "Now, what should I predict?"

Aeris frowned in thought for a moment. Then with a click of her fingers, she ran across the floor and stood beside Cloud. "Hmm, let's see how compatible Cloud and I are!" she said with a playful glint in her eye. Cloud stared at her in puzzlement, while to one side Tifa stamped her foot angrily on the ground and turned away stubbornly.

"That'll cost ya!" Cait told her, winking teasingly. "Exactly one date!" Before Cloud could protest, Aeris nodded her agreement. Cloud turned his head to one side to hide the embarrassed flush that was spreading across his cheeks. Cait nodded. "Here I go!" he announced.

Tifa turned back in time to see Cait swinging back and forth across his Mog, moving the controls just so that the Mog moved in opposition to him. She didn't realise it, but her heart was beating fast as she secretly prayed with all her heart on the answer that Cait would come up with. When Cait finished his little act and the result came out, she crossed her fingers.

Leaning over as far as he could go, Cait took the result from the Mog's hand and had a good look over it. After reading the result, he gave Tifa a sideward glance, noting the hopeful expression hidden in her eyes. Turning away, he said with an apologetic tone, "This isn't good. I can't say it. Poor Tifa."

Once again Tifa stamped her foot and turned away.

Aeris was unperturbed by Tifa's obvious discomfort. "No! Tell me! I promise I won't get mad!"

It's not you he's worried about making mad, Tifa thought bitterly to herself.

Cait raised an eyebrow. Then he smiled. "Is that so? Then I'll tell you." He coughed to clear his throat, and then made his prediction. "Looks good. You are perfect for each other! Aeris's star and Cloud's star! They show a great future!" Ignoring the increasing flush on Cloud's face and sniggers from Barret and Cid, the cat continued, "Cloud, I'll be your matchmaker, preacher… I'll do whatever you want me to! You just call me when it all happens!" Barret guffawed loudly.

Feeling that enough time had been wasted now, Cait turned to leave. Before he could step through the door, a thought suddenly occurred to him. He sagged heavily on his Mog. "Thank you for believing in me, knowing that I was a spy," he said. "This is the final, final farewell!"

Then the cat hopped through the door and disappeared into the shadows. Just as the cat disappeared from sight, Aeris ran forward and shouted into the darkness:

"Be strong, Cait!!"

* * *

"She told me to 'Be strong'," Cait whispered softly to himself as he bounded steadily across the floor of the chamber. Even as he hopped, a smile spread on his furry face. "I feel so happy."

At the end of the chamber was the altar, just as they had left it. No sign of Sephiroth, no sign of any red dragons. Good. That meant the only thing left to do was solve the puzzles and retrieve the Black Materia from the Temple.

To his surprise, Cait did not feel the least bit scared about what was going to happen. He knew that this task would crush this Mog-and-cat form to death—that it would end up as a tiny, microscopic speck inside the Black Materia. Yet the thought of the Temple crushing him did not frighten him. That possibly had something to do with the fact that he was not really dying—just going offline and connecting to another form. He felt no pain, no hunger, and therefore would feel nothing upon being crushed. But… more than that… Cait felt that it was because of those three words Aeris had said upon his departure.

'Be strong, Cait!!'

Lost in his thoughts Cait did not notice that his hands were going awry on the controls. Before he knew it his Mog body had tripped up over its own feet and he was tumbling to the floor. He landed face first on the stone floor. His megaphone fell from his hands and skittered across the floor.

"Owwww……" Cait complained.

Slowly, Cait began to push himself back up, first of all using his own hands and then those of the Mog's until he was standing up again. Normally it was an awkward task, but this time it seemed easier. For no real reason Cait lifted his arms and those of the Mog into the air, revelling in the freedom of movement that came from it. What was this? He could still move easily, despite the fall. And even more, it felt easier to move now than it had ever done. Did the fall do this, or was it something else? He felt as though he had changed somewhat. But he couldn't have changed…

……Could he……?

"I can still move more," he commented aloud, meaning his freedom of movement. After a few energetic jumps into the air that even the agile Yuffie would have been proud of, Cait blushed in embarrassment, scratched his head and began to walk across the floor toward the altar.

"This must be it," he said to himself as he stopped in front of the altar. He leaned over to inspect it. It really did seem so small. "The Ancients sure did a great job making this. I can protect the Planet too!" Sitting back on his Mog, he scratched his head again. "I'm kinda embarrassed… There's plenty of stuffed toys like my body around, but there's only one me!" He stood up and shouted to the sky. "Don't forget me even if another Cait comes along." Nodding confidently to himself, he turned to the altar. "Goodbye, then! I guess I'm off to save the Planet…"

* * *

On the other side of the bridge, Cloud and the others watched in silence as the ground beneath them began to shake. The great roaring, ripping sound could be heard again, this time so deep beneath the ground it came out as more of a low rumble than a horrifying screech. Aeris clasped her hands together firmly, thinking of the spirits whose home was being disturbed and praying for their safe passage into the Lifestream.

As they watched, a black-green glow began to radiate from the Temple. The glow spread until it covered the entirety of the Temple, leaving it as nothing more than a shadow among the forest. The ground began to shake more violently and the roaring sound grew louder. Eventually some of the group had to hold onto trees and each other to save from falling over. A wind picked up, blowing around the Temple furiously.

"What's happening!?" Yuffie cried fearfully, her arms wrapped around a tree.

No one heard her, for her words were drowned out by the growing wind. The trees were whipped from side to side, leaves were ripped off their branches and blown away in the wind. Twigs and rocks filled the air, scratching their faces and hands as they struggled to hold their ground. The bridge was being thrown up and down, barely able to hold onto its posts.

The darkness shrouding the Temple intensified, and lightning began to flash around the top of the Temple from dark clouds that had formed around it. Within the depths of the shadows they were just able to see the Temple begin to shrink, quaking as though the ground were being pulled from beneath it. The lightning intensified as the wind grew stronger, until all they could hear was the wind and crack of lightning. The flying debris became so constant that they were forced to close their eyes.

Then, suddenly, the wind ceased. An eerie stillness fell upon the forest, and for a few moments none of the group dared move in case it started again and they were blown from their feet. The lightning had stopped flashing, and not even its static energy could be felt on the air. The ground had stopped shaking. Everyone was deathly still.

Aeris was the first to open her eyes and look ahead. She released Barret, whom she had clung to for support, and very cautiously climbed to her feet. The ground was still level, which was a good thing, though it was shaky to walk upon, but that was just her fear taking over. She walked forward and looked upon the Temple. Or where there was once a Temple.

There was no Temple anymore. The spot where the Temple of the Ancients had stood was now empty. It had completely vanished. In the Temple's place was a deep, hollow pit, although how far down it went Aeris could not tell. She could not even tell if Cait had succeeded before the Temple inevitably crushed his body. That thought saddened her. She hoped her words had reached him before he left.

The others had all stood now, although it took some effort from Barret to get Yuffie to release her death grip on the tree she was clinging to. Quietly and solemnly the group moved forward across the bridge, which had miraculously remained intact during the sudden storm, and ran to the edge of the pit.

The pit was not as deep as it first appeared. It went down only about fifty feet or so, and the pit was covered in rocky ledges that made it easy to climb down. Lying at the bottom of the pit was their prize: the Black Materia. The materia shone in the afternoon light—an iridescent black ball amidst the rock. There was no sign of Cait.

"That's the Black Materia…" said Cloud, his voice barely above a whisper. He was too in awe of the sight of the Black Materia. He felt Aeris stand beside him, equally in awe at the sight of the powerful Materia.

"Hey!" came Barret's gruff voice from behind them. "I'll keep watch up here!"

Looking at the others, they all nodded in agreement. As an Ancient, they felt it was Aeris's duty and right to go down and retrieve the Materia that her spiritual ancestors and kin had protected for so long. And as leader of the group, it was only right that Cloud should accompany her down into the pit, despite Tifa's glare.

The rest of the companions stood guard around the pit's entrance as Cloud and Aeris began their descent. They kept a close eye on the forest, watching for any signs of Shinra thugs heading their way. So far there was no sign of anyone, and so they all relaxed a little and turned to look into the pit. Cloud and Aeris had reached the bottom and were stood around the Black Materia.

"As long as we have this, Sephiroth won't be able to use Meteor," Cloud said, smiling in relief. He bent over and picked the materia up. It was lighter than he expected—very smooth and very cool. He looked inside but could see no image; there was only blackness. As he was turning it over in his hands, he was struck with a sudden thought. "Mmm? Can you guys use it?" he asked Aeris.

"Nope," replied Aeris. "We can't use it right now. You need great spiritual power to use it."

"You mean lots of spiritual energy?"

"That's right. One person's power alone won't do it. Somewhere special. Where there's plenty of the Planet's energy…" Aeris folded her arms in thought as she sought to find a good example of where she meant. The most obvious choice popped into her head. "Oh yeah! The Promised Land!"

"The Promised Land!!" exclaimed Cloud. Of course! The Promised Land would be filled with the Planet's life energy. With all that energy in the Promised Land it would be easy to summon Meteor. He looked down at the Black Materia, resting perfectly in his gloved hands. "No, but…"

Sensing his fear, Aeris laid a comforting hand on his arm and shook her head. "Sephiroth is different," she told him. "He's not an Ancient." She knew that now.

"He shouldn't be able to find the Promised Land," said Cloud.

"Ah, but I have."

A familiar flash of white light from high above made Aeris and Cloud jump up in fright. Instinctively Cloud grasped the Black Materia close to him as he looked up to the top of the pit, unaware of the pulsing pain in the back of his head. Around the edge of the pit, Barret and the others had also jumped up and were now rushing to draw their weapons. Even with their weapons drawn, none could reach the leather-clad figure that was hovering at a safe distance above the pit.

"I'm far superior to the Ancients," said Sephiroth as he drifted steadily above the pit. "I became a traveller of the Lifestream and gained the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients. I also gained the knowledge and wisdom of those after the extinction of the Ancients. And soon, I will create the future."

"I won't let you do it!" Aeris yelled. "The future is not only yours!"

Sephiroth's green-tinged eyes wandered slowly over the group of fighters gathered around the edge of the pit. Each one was staring at him in awe, anger… and fear. He smiled to himself, relishing in their fear. His eyes fell upon Aeris… The last survivor of the ancient race known as the Cetra… She held her head high, and though she was covered in dirt and scratches from the battles she had fought in the Temple, she showed no fear when she looked at him. Standing beside her was Cloud… the Black Materia resting in his hands.

"Ha ha ha… I wonder?" he mused. He looked down and stared at Cloud. "Wake up!"

A second bright flash of light zipped through the air. A searing pain shot through Cloud's mind, blinding his vision and making red dots of light dance before his eyes. He lost all sense of what was around him, although he had the vague sensation of falling—a sharp pain in his knees. His fingers grasped onto something smooth and round in his palm…

The Black Materia!

The pain was becoming unbearable. Cloud grasped at his head, his nails digging into the skin of his scalp as though he could stop the pain by clawing it out of his mind. All the while the red dots danced and flickered before his vision. The voice that spoke to him through the waves of pain offered him release and rest… if he would just give him the Black Materia.

"Sh… shut up!" Cloud shouted at the voice. The pain increased. Cloud cried out.

With a malevolent smile on his soft lips, Sephiroth floated gently down into the pit. The others, standing around the edge, found they did not have the strength to use their weapons as he floated past them. Sephiroth landed gracefully on the floor of the pit, slowly sinking to his knees as he knelt before Cloud, who still knelt with his hands pressed against his head. The malevolent smile softened into a sympathetic smile—like that of an older brother reaching out to his younger brother after he has fallen off his bike and grazed his knee.

"There, Cloud…" Sephiroth said with surprising tenderness. "Good boy."

The pain heightened, and now a piercing whistle was added to the mixture of noise that was zapping through Cloud's brain. By now Cloud could barely feel his body or the Black Materia that was still in his hand. Blood seeped underneath his nails as he tried in vain to blot out the sounds screaming in his head. Through all the noise and the pain was Sephiroth's calm, gentle voice offering escape.

"The… Noise…" Cloud managed to gasp.

He tried to open his eyes. Amid the dancing lights and blotches of blackness, he could just about see the ground at his feet. It was closer than he remembered. A couple of feet away he saw a leather-gloved hand reaching out to him, palm up. All remembrance of who he was, where he was, and what he held vanished from his mind. The only thing in his mind was the voice… Reunion… Black Materia…

Shakily Cloud lowered his hands, unaware of the blood that ran between his fingertips. He climbed to his feet, dizzy and staggering. Then he began to move slowly forward, his empty eyes searching for the hand that was reaching out to him. He mumbled something incoherently. "Wa……aaa……aaa…"

"_No……!"_

Cloud stopped. Had he heard a voice calling out to him? It sounded hazily familiar. Almost like his own voice. Where had he heard that voice before? He tried to remember. As he thought, the other voice spoke again, more harshly. Pushing his thoughts aside, Cloud continued forward. The hand was visible now, just inches away from him. The pain would be gone soon.

"_Don't be afraid--!"_ the second voice screamed again.

This time Cloud didn't hear the voice. The hand was in reach now. Unconsciously, Cloud reached out his right hand. He felt something slip from his grasp and drop into the outstretched hand. The leather-bound hand closed around the Black Materia and pulled away from him.

Sephiroth stood up, looking down at the Black Materia that he finally held in his hand. Cloud knelt at his feet, weak, trembling, and shaking. "……Well done," he said, slipping the Black Materia safely into his pocket.

Without so much as a warning, Sephiroth suddenly flew up into the air, disappearing from view even before the group had realised he had gone. Cloud remained on the floor, his blue eyes wide in an expression of pure horror. What had he done!? His fingers dug into the dirt-covered floor as though he could bury himself away from this horrible dream. All the while, he was aware of a young voice—_his_ young voice—crying bitterly beside him.

"Cloud, are you all right?"

Cloud barely recognised Aeris's voice. He barely recognised anything. He was just becoming aware of the enormity of what he had just done. He had just willingly given the Black Materia to the one person most in the world they were trying to keep it away from. Why!? Why did he do that!?

"…I gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth…?" he asked, although he was barely aware that he was speaking. Nor was he aware of Aeris's presence behind him, kneeling next to him, her hand on his shoulder.

He tried to move, but a sudden wave of pain and wooziness overwhelmed him and he toppled backward. Quickly Aeris caught him and held him up, her arms wrapped gently around him like a mother cradling a child. She ran a hand through his spiky blond hair, wishing she could do something ease his pain. A hand grabbed her wrist and held it tightly. Looking down, she could see that Cloud's eyes were glistening with tears as he looked up at her, frantically seeking some solace.

"Wha… what did I do… tell me, Aeris," he pleaded.

"Cloud… be strong, okay?" she said to him softly, continuing to stroke his hair.

Pushing her hand away, Cloud struggled to stand up. He did not even manage a few steps before he toppled forward again, falling to his knees. His bloody, scratched fists punched the dirt hard.

"Urrrrrrgh… What have I done!?" he yelled. He thumped the dirt again.

"Cloud…" Aeris stood up and ran to Cloud's side. "You haven't done anything wrong. It's not your fault!"

The pain was returning, along with the irritatingly soft voice that spoke so smoothly and yet whose words were poison in his veins. Cloud shook his head fiercely. No… He would not do that! The pain increased again, and the voice spoke more firmly. Cloud found himself beginning to stand up, even though he tried with all his willpower to stay firmly on the ground.

"I…! I'm-----!" Cloud stammered.

Suddenly Cloud spun around to face Aeris, who was standing beside him. With an angry snarl he grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and flung her against the rocky wall of the pit, making her cry out in pain. Her jacket was torn by the rock. Fear filled the Ancient's eyes as she saw the hate-filled look in Cloud's face and the strength with which he gripped her. Glaring at her angrily, Cloud raised his hand and struck her harshly across the face. The slap left red marks across Aeris's left cheek. Cloud did not seem to notice, and he struck her again… and again… and again.

"What!? Cloud!" cried a voice from above.

The others all stared in horror as they watched Cloud slap Aeris continually across the face. The Ancient did not struggle or cry out, and Cloud did not seem to even realise that he was striking her. As they watched a figure emerged from the bushes behind them, and the familiar figure of Cait Sith—now controlling his new body—bounded toward the edge of the pit. Looking down at the affair below, he bit his lip.

"Oops! This looks like I came at a bad time! I'm Cait Sith No. 2. Right pleased to meet you all!"

Ignoring Cait's unexpected return, Yuffie took it upon herself to end the pointless beating going on below. Leaving her Razor Ring shuriken on the ground, she expertly leaped off the ledge and began to jump down the ridges to the bottom of the pit. Cloud was still striking Aeris, unyielding.

"Cloud--!! Cloud, what are you doing!?" Tifa called.

"Urrggggggh!!!!" Barret roared, shaking his fists in rage. "Cloud!! HEY! Cloud, you #$#$!"

Yuffie finally reached the bottom of the pit and darted across the dirt toward Cloud and Aeris. Aeris's cheeks were red raw, and her lip was bleeding. Yet Cloud continued to strike her.

"Aeris! Cloud, what're you doing!?"

Grabbing Cloud by his shoulder, Yuffie spun him around to face her. Before he knew what was coming, she had clenched her fist and aimed a direct punch to his stomach. Her fist connected with a painful crunch, and Cloud crumpled to the floor.

As Cloud fell, all he was aware of was his vision going white…

* * *

**Emerald:** Okay, I really should update more. Once a couple of months isn't going to cut it, I think. Well, here's two chapters for you. The next chapter will be a smaller one, so it should hopefully be up pretty soon. Thanks for being patient, everyone! Just think: we're almost at the end of the first disc! 


	30. Part 08: Chapter 30

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty**

The world was white for Cloud. Everything around him was nothing more than a calm, unending whiteness. Though there was no breeze to tell him which direction he was moving, Cloud had the distinct impression that he was floating gently down into the light. He didn't fight it and let himself float.

_"Everything's white… what did I do? I don't remember anything… My memory… since when…?"_

Cloud felt like he wanted to curl up into a tiny ball and drift off to sleep, never to wake up again. The dull, aching pain in his head was gone, at least, although he had no memory of how he came to be here. He could not even be sure what his last memory was. Everything… time, and existence… seemed to drift past him on the endless sea of white light, too far out of his reach to grab onto it.

In the calmness of the white sea, a single thought crossed Cloud's mind.

_"If everything's a dream, don't wake me."_

Closing his eyes tighter, Cloud drew his knees up to his chest and willed himself to sleep. It didn't take much effort—his body was so tired. The calmness of the white light eased his cramped muscles and aching form, wrapping around him like a pair of gentle arms bringing him into a warm embrace, lulling him to sleep. Cloud did not struggle and let the light take him. Wherever he was falling to, he hoped that he would not reach it for a while.

He wasn't sure how long he slept. Time just seemed to roll by without meaning in the white light. The Cloud became suddenly aware of a soft, gentle breeze blowing against his cheek. He twitched, moaned softly, and tried to go back to sleep.

"Cloud, can you hear me?"

That voice… He knew that voice…

Slowly Cloud opened his eyes. The white light was fading. From the endless white appeared a forest; though which forest it was Cloud had no idea. A natural path cut right through the centre of the forest, leading far into the distance. At the end of this path was a bright white-green glow, so bright Cloud could not focus on it clearly.

The owner of the voice was thankfully a little closer to him, peering out at him from behind one of the thinly built trees. It was Aeris. Upon seeing her gentle, smiling face, Cloud's memories came rushing back to him in a painful wave. They dropped on his mind like a waterfall crashing on rocks. He looked at her face. Her cheeks were no longer red, but a small cut on her lip was proof of her wounds.

"_Yeah, I hear you."_ Cloud looked guiltily at the small, reddish cut on her lip. _"Sorry for what happened."_

Accepting his apology, Aeris stepped out from behind the tree. A cheerful smile touched her lips as she gazed at Cloud through playful, merry eyes. It seemed as though nothing could hurt this fun-loving young woman. "Don't worry about it," she assured him, waving it off.

"…_I can't help it…"_

"Oh…" said Aeris.

Turning away from Cloud, she walked slowly behind one of the trees that lined the forest path. Seconds later she jumped out from behind a different tree that grew on the opposite side of the path. "Then why don't you REALLY worry about it?" she suggested. Running to the centre of the path, she placed her hand on her chest. "And let me handle Sephiroth."

With that, she began to laugh light-heartedly. As she laughed, her body began to glow with an inner power, and in a flash she suddenly disappeared from sight. She wasn't gone for long, as she suddenly reappeared next to a tree on the right-hand side of the path.

"And Cloud," she said with a meaningful look, "you take care of yourself." She turned to face the tree, placed her hand on the rough, flaky trunk, and glanced back at Cloud in concern. "So you don't have a breakdown, okay?" She walked behind the tree.

Cloud felt himself beginning to float down toward the path. Looking down he saw the path coming up beneath him, steadily and safely. Looking up again he saw that Aeris was right beside him, floating down also. The two landed on the slightly rocky path and looked at each other for a moment. Cloud was the first to break her gaze, and glanced around at the forest surrounding him.

"What is this place?" he asked her.

Aeris looked up at the trees of the forest. "This forest leads to the City of the Ancients… and is called the Sleeping Forest. It's only a matter of time before Sephiroth uses Meteor. That's why I'm going to protect it. Only a survivor of the Cetra, like me, can do it." She turned away and began to walk steadily up the path, her hands clasped behind her back.

"The secret is just up here," she continued. "At least it should be… I feel it. It feels like I'm being led by something." Stopping, she turned to Cloud. "Then, I'll be going now. I'll come back when it's all over."

"Aeris?"

Before Cloud could stop her, Aeris turned away and began to run down the path, heading toward the wall of light that was at the end of the path. Cloud tried to run after her, to stop her from leaving him, but as he tried to run he found that he could not move very far—as though something was holding him back.

He could only watch helplessly as Aeris moved away from him, getting smaller and smaller as she ran away. Eventually she disappeared completely, swallowed up by the light. Still Cloud continued to run. He had to stop her before she left completely.

Then a deep, calm voice spoke through the silence.

"_Hmm… …She's thinking of interfering? She will be a difficult one, don't you think?"_

Cloud looked up as Sephiroth floated down from above and landed on the ground near him. Sephiroth glanced up the path where Aeris had run off, an evil look on his pale face. He glanced back at Cloud, smiling wickedly.

"_We must stop that girl soon,"_ he said.

Then, in another flash of light, everything vanished.

* * *

**Emerald:** There we go. A shorter chapter this one. We're not far from the end of this part now. I was thinking of adding Part Nine: The Birth of Weapon to this instalment, to give it a sort of climactic end before going onto the third—and hopefully last—instalment of the Final Fantasy 7 saga. T.T Not that it will really be the end—I have to write up Advent Children after that. Although I don't think I will do any of the games beyond that. I may do Dirge of Cerberus—if and when I finally get the game. I was told it's out in the UK now, so I may ask for it for Christmas or something. But my plan is, after this game to do Advent Children, and after that I'm working on novelising Final Fantasy 8. 


	31. Part 08: Chapter 31

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

When Cloud finally came to, he found that he was no longer in the pit at the Temple of the Ancients. He was in a strange room that was covered in wood panelling that was charred in parts, although there was some evidence of someone trying to repair and polish the blackness from it. Standing over him were Tifa and Barret. Their faces were filled with concern as they looked down at him, although Barret's face had traces of annoyance as well.

Following the events at the Temple and their encounter with Sephiroth, the companions had left the area in haste. They ran swiftly through the Forest of Secrets toward the distant shore where they had parked the Tiny Bronco, carrying the unconscious Cloud with them. Cid piloted the tiny plane across the water, heading for the town of Gongaga on the other continent.

No one said anything during their trip across the ocean. No one apart from Cait, that is, who was busy regaling the group with tales of his adventures inside the Temple. Nobody paid any attention to him. They weren't interested in hearing his tales, nor were they at all curious as to ask how he had mysteriously survived the tests inside the Temple. They all remained silent, staring wordlessly at the passing ocean.

Aeris sat at the back of the plane. Sitting with her back to the others, she watched as the land and the Forest of Secrets disappeared into the horizon. Her cheeks were still red and sore. Yuffie tried to make small talk with her, but Aeris paid no attention. Her thoughts were somewhere else—a decision was forming in her mind. She had untied her hair and was letting it blow in the breeze, holding her pink ribbon and the small materia in her hands. Every so often she would glance at Cloud, but always her gaze returned to the ocean. Eventually Yuffie gave up.

The people of Gongaga had been very understanding of their situation. They took the group into their village without question, eager to help the 'poor young man' who had been injured. The innkeeper refused the money Tifa had offered him, even though he sorely needed the funds to keep his inn open. They all took turns watching Cloud, who tossed and turned restlessly in his sleep. When Cloud finally opened his eyes, Tifa sighed in relief.

"You look like you was havin' a nightmare," Barret said once Cloud had fully registered who they were. "How are you feeling?"

Not moving, Cloud considered the question. He felt stiff and sore, which he guessed to be because he had been lying motionless for a good while. His stomach felt a little sore. He vaguely remembered being punched there at one point, although he could not remember who it had been. He pictured dark hair… Vincent, perhaps, or Yuffie.

"I seem to be okay," he answered finally. His mouth felt dry.

As if sensing his thirst, Tifa picked up a small jug of water and poured some into a glass. She lifted his head off the pillow and helped him to drink some of the water. It was slightly warm, but it helped to moisturize Cloud's dry throat. Cloud downed the glass; thankful for the way it cleared the dense fog that clouded his mind. Tifa made to refill the glass, but Cloud waved her away.

Barret stared closely at Cloud, trying to see if the ex-SOLDIER was lying about him being okay. Satisfied that he was telling the truth, Barret leaned back on his feet and crossed his arms. "That's good. Man, I didn't know what was going to happen." Even though he tried to hide it, Barret had been more than a little worried about Cloud. More than once he had thought that Cloud wasn't going to wake up at all. Secretly, he was as relieved as Tifa was to see the young man awake again.

Putting the empty glass back on the table, Tifa looked at Cloud in concern. "You know, Cloud," she said softly. "Aeris is gone."

Barret frowned. "Everyone's out looking for Aeris," he said.

Slowly Cloud sat up, ignoring the hand that Tifa offered to him when he nearly lost his strength and fell back onto the bed. Somehow he wasn't surprised to learn that Aeris had gone. Deep down he already knew she had left. He had thought it was just a bad dream, but now he knew that it wasn't. And wherever the others were looking, they would not find her. He shook his head.

"……City of the Ancients. Aeris is headed there."

"By herself! Why did she go by herself!?" Barret roared angrily, raising his voice. In the next room, the poor innkeeper almost fell out of his chair at the sound of the man's bellowing voice. "Hey, we're goin' too!"

Memories of the dream flashed through Cloud's mind. Aeris's smile… her gentle eyes that made all his worries seem to disappear. He remembered her words. _"Let me handle Sephiroth,"_ she had told him. Aeris held the key to stopping Sephiroth. She was an Ancient. Her bloodline gave her more right to stopping him than Cloud did. All Cloud wanted was revenge for the pain Sephiroth had caused him. He shivered.

"Only the Ancients, only Aeris can save us from Meteor…" he said, hanging his head. It was Aeris's task alone to finish Sephiroth. Of all of them she had the best chance of stopping him. Whatever she was going to do in the City of the Ancients would prove that. Unfortunately, Tifa and Barret didn't seem to see it that way.

"Then we must go," said Tifa firmly, putting on her gloves. "What'll we do if something happens to her?" she replied when Cloud looked at her inquisitively. "If Sephiroth finds her, she's in trouble." She gave her gloves a tug—the soft leather creaking between her fingers. The metal spikes protruding from the knuckles had been freshly sharpened and looked lethal, while the diamonds seemed brighter.

Cloud stared at her in awe, and then lowered his head sadly. "Sephiroth… already knows," he whispered, remembering the rest of the dream. Sephiroth would already be tracking Aeris down, to stop her achieving her goal.

"Hey! Why are you still sittin' around?" Barret demanded, expecting Cloud to jump up and already be halfway out the door in pursuit of Aeris.

"Let's go, Cloud," said Tifa, standing up.

Cloud refused to look up at them. He wanted to go. He wanted to go and find Aeris—to protect her from Sephiroth. But memories of the Temple were running through his mind. Memories of what he did to Aeris… "No," he replied. "I might lose it again." He clutched at his head. "If Sephiroth comes near me, I might…"

"Yeah, goddammit!" Barret snapped. His patience was wearing thin. "It's cuz' of you that Sephiroth got the Black Materia in the first place. It's your damn fault!"

Cloud opened his eyes and looked at Barret. "My fault?"

Barret sighed heavily and tapped his foot against the floor. "I know you got problems… hell, we all do," he added, referring to his problems at North Corel. "But you don't even understand yourself. But you gotta understand that there ain't no gettin' offa this train we're on, till we get to the end of the line."

"Cloud,"—Tifa sat down beside Cloud and took his hand in hers, gazing into his eyes—"we came this far… Aren't you going to settle up with Sephiroth?"

Cloud pulled his hand away. "No…" he said. His voice was trembling. Holding his head in his hands again, he shook it vigorously as though he could shake the memories of Sephiroth from his mind. But they wouldn't go away. "I'm afraid," Cloud admitted. "If I keep this up, I may go crazy! I'm afraid…" He choked.

Barret's patience and sympathy finally wore out. "Just a damn jackass, that's what you are…" he said harshly. Ignoring Tifa's cross face, he continued, "You jes' think about it… How many people in this world do you think really understand themselves? People get depressed in life because they don't know what's up. But, they go on living. They don't run away… Isn't that how it is?" His speech made, Barret turned and walked out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

"Cloud… you'll come with us, right?" asked Tifa, looking up at Cloud hopefully. When Cloud didn't reply she glanced at the floor. Then she looked up again, took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze before heading for the closed door. Standing in the doorway, she looked back at Cloud, who was still on the bed. "I believe in you," she said quietly. She silently slipped out of the room, leaving Cloud alone.

When all was quiet, Cloud let his gaze fall to the end of the bed. His sword was propped against the wall next to the bed. The metal blade was covered in scratches and discoloured blotches caused by magic cast by monsters. There was also blood across the blade, though the blood had turned brown now that it had dried. He would need another sword to fight with soon, he figured, eyeing up the damage. He would still use his old Buster Sword—it was important to him, after all—but he would need another sword just in case. That's if he continued to fight.

"What… am I supposed to do?" he asked aloud, his voice sounding meaningless in the quiet of the room. "Pull out of here?" He drew his legs up close to his chest. His dug his hands into the white sheets of the bed, clawing at the folds. "Pull out? …To where?"

The room answered his questions with silence.

Waiting at the entrance of the inn, Tifa and Barret looked back at the door that lead into Cloud's room. Though they could hear nothing from Cloud on this side, they could easily guess that Cloud was in turmoil, trying to figure out what he should do. Tifa was tempted to go back into the room and comfort her childhood friend, but she didn't know if going in was the right thing for her to do. She was afraid that her presence would make things worse for Cloud. Besides, she didn't know what to say.

"Cloud…" she said, her heart aching.

A hand touched her shoulder and she turned to look at Barret. "Wait a minute, Tifa," he said, more softly than she had anticipated. "Give him a little time. He has to decide this on his own. You believe in Cloud… right?"

Tifa nodded. Smiling, Barret squeezed her shoulder as gently as he could and then, suddenly aware that he was acting like a big softy, turned and walked out of the inn. Tifa waited a few moments longer, pausing to look back at the door. Barret was right, she realised. This isn't something I can help Cloud with. This has to be his decision and his decision alone. Her mind made up, she followed Barret outside.

Inside the bedroom, Cloud had moved to sit at the edge of the bed. His Buster Sword and the Yoshiyuki the old man had given him spread out on the bed. Cloud had almost forgotten about the other sword—it was much lighter than it looked. A closer examination proved the sword to be useless in a battle, however. The blade was too thin and worn, and there was a big crack in the base of the hilt where it joined with the blade. One good swing and it would break easily.

After a while Cloud had left the swords and sat on the edge of the bed, thinking hard about what he should do. His thoughts were centred on Sephiroth. Why was it that whenever Sephiroth was near, Cloud's blood seemed to boil. To one extent the answer was easy: Cloud hated Sephiroth more than anything on the Planet. Yet there was another answer: the one that Cloud could not find. And that answer would have something to do with the pain buzzing in his head and the voice that urged him to do things he didn't want to do. Like giving Sephiroth the Black Materia.

Remembering that made Cloud shiver. He wanted to know why he would do something like that. It didn't make any sense. He knew the Black Materia was dangerous, so why give it to the most dangerous man on the Planet? The more he thought about it, the more his mind recoiled.

"……I'm afraid to find out the truth…?" Cloud asked himself, shaking his head. His hands tightened around the empty glass. Droplets of water dripped down his face where he had splashed himself to clear his thoughts. "But……why?"

Cloud reached out and touched the Buster Sword. His fingers closed around the familiar grooves on the handle and he lifted it, feeling its comforting weight in his hands. Fighting was what brought him this far. If he were to run away now then he would never find the truth. Like Barret had said: the journey they were on was like a train. There was no stopping until it reached the end of the line.

His mind made up, Cloud hoisted the Buster Sword and slid it into its slot on his back. He went to pick up the Yoshiyuki, but then thought better of it and left the sword on the bed as he left the room. It was a nice sword, and would bring a fair penny to whoever sold it. Better the innkeeper used it to bring in some extra money if he ever needed it. It was the least Cloud could do to say thank you for their care.

The innkeeper smiled at him as he came out. He seemed a little surprised to see Cloud up and about, though. "You awake?" he said to Cloud. The young innkeeper nodded his head toward the exit. "Those people were so worried that they stayed by your side until you woke up. You sure do have good friends."

Cloud nodded in reply. Yes, he thought. He did have good friends. He wouldn't have gotten this far without Tifa, or Barret, or Vincent, or even Yuffie by his side.

Tifa and Barret jumped in surprise when the inn door opened and Cloud came out. They had not expected him to make up his mind that fast and were taken aback by the quickness of his decision. One look into Cloud's face showed that the young ex-SOLDIER was still unsure, even though he tried to look determined.

"Cloud…" Tifa began.

Barret interrupted her before she could get further. "Hey, how are you?" he asked. "I just wanna know, which is it gonna be? You wanna find out about yourself? Or are you afraid to find out? Either way, you stay here and all you can do is worry about it." He folded his arms and looked at Cloud sternly. "Even if you do go nuts again when you see Sephiroth… If it happens, it happens. I'll go upside your spiky white head and bring you back to normal."

Cloud didn't look too convinced.

"Cloud, it'll be all right," Tifa assured him, her hand on his arm. "We're all with you."

"But…" Cloud began.

Barret waved him off with his gun-arm. It was one of Barret's odder habits—like he still had his actual hand there. "If it happens, it happens," he repeated casually. "Don't worry about it."

Cloud bit his lip. How he wished he could share Barret's confidence. Although he had no doubt that Barret would carry out his threat of going inside his 'spiky white head' if he went nuts, Cloud hoped that it wouldn't come to that. Barret was right. There was no use in worrying about it. If it happened, it happened. And if it did, Cloud had his friends there to stop him. When did Barret get so wise?

"…You're… right," he said finally. He looked at Tifa. "……He's right, isn't he?"

Tifa nodded. She was glad Cloud had decided to come with them. "Come on," she said earnestly, taking Cloud's hand and beginning to drag him across the path, "let's go find Aeris."

* * *

"City of the Ancients?" Cid scratched his head with the butt of his cigarette. "What kind of damn place is that?" 

"Maybe it's a storehouse where the Ancients kept all their materia!" said Yuffie excitedly, hopping from one foot to the other. She had spent too much time in Gongaga now, and she was bored. There was so little to do in the little forest town, and she had been here once before anyway. The thought of going somewhere new excited her. The materia she could find!

Vincent shook his head. "……Most likely it's the capital of the Ancients' homeland," he said softly, his voice only audible in the quiet of the forest. The enigmatic gunman was standing apart from the rest of the group, partially hidden behind a tree, keeping an eye out for any signs of the Shinra.

The group had left Gongaga now, and were standing in the middle of the forest that surrounded it. Once they were a good distance away from the village, Cloud called them to a halt to discuss where they had to go. Though some of them had heard of the City of the Ancients, no one really knew where it was.

"Didn't Aeris give you any clues as to where this place was?" asked Cait, lying leisurely on top of his Mog. He was on his back, his hands behind his head and balancing his megaphone on his feet, seemingly entranced by it.

Cloud paced through the centre of the group. "No," he answered finally, stopping in the middle of the group. "All she said was 'This forest leads to the City of the Ancients… and is called the Sleeping Forest.'"

"The Sleeping Forest…" Red XIII murmured, his tail twitching.

"You know it?" asked Tifa, surprised.

The hound settled back on his haunches and looked up at Tifa, squinting in the light. "Know of it," he replied. After scratching an itch on the back of his neck, he began to explain. "According to the elders in Cosmo Canyon, the Sleeping Forest guards the entrance to the City of the Ancients, or the Forgotten City. As its name shows, it is a forest that sleeps."

"How can that be?" asked Tifa, confused. "How can a forest be asleep?"

Red XIII shook his head. "That… I do not know. All I know is that it does. To be honest," he added, embarrassed, "I did not pay much attention to the elders when they taught me that. I… I think I fell asleep." Yuffie giggled, stopped giggling when she saw Red XIII growling at her. Even so, she had to fight to control her giggles.

"Do you remember where the forest is?" Cloud asked Red XIII.

"……" Red XIII lowered his head in thought, trying to remember back the fifteen or so years when he had been taught about the Cetra. He looked up and nodded. "Somewhere on the far northern continent," he replied. "Whereabouts exactly, I cannot be sure. But I am positive it is on that continent."

"Far northern continent!?" Barret roared, making everyone jump. "That damn place! The whole continent is covered in snow and ice! Not to mention #&$ mountain ranges! No damn forest can survive there!"

"Not everywhere on the continent is covered in ice," Tifa pointed out. "Forests and grass still grow on the southernmost point. Maybe the Sleeping Forest is there."

Cloud frowned. "Can we get there?" he wondered aloud.

"Don't you worry about that," said Cid, putting out his cigarette with the butt of his spear. "Good ol' Tiny Bronco can get you there, so long as we stay in the shallow bits of the water. Damn engine's startin' to leak with all this ferryin' here and there. She'll pack up completely soon," he added with a disappointed sigh.

Cloud nodded. "Then that's settled. We'll head north." He looked around at everyone. "It wouldn't hurt to make a quick trip to Cosmo Canyon to make sure we're heading in the right direction. And"—he added with a glance at Yuffie—"I'd like to visit that weapon store in Wutai again. There was a nice sword in there…"

**Emerald:** Yep, I think I've got my writing legs back now. Four chapters in three days. I haven't had a writing spell like this in a long time. And there's a nice piece of originality in there for you, too. I thought it was time Cloud had a replacement sword. Murasame, here we come! I just wonder if it would be all right for him to use two swords at once in this fic, or just leave that for Advent Children when we see him use two… Oh, and sorry for using this whole chapter for Gongaga, but I thought it pointless to do this bit and Bone Village in the same chapter. Hence the originality bit. I didn't make Cloud look too pathetic and emo, did I?

On a lighter note, I bought Dirge of Cerberus on Wednesday, so do expect to see a fic of that sometime in the future. Like, after this fic, and Advent Children. I may write Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus at the same time to save some… um… time. Heh. I will have to write faster if I want to do all these, otherwise you guys will be following me around forever. Not that I mind, like, but I wouldn't want you to get bored.


	32. Part 08: Chapter 32

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Barret's dark eyes narrowed in fury. His nostrils flared. His huge muscles flexed and twitched irritably underneath his skin. The veins on his arms and neck stood out, pulsing with heated, irate blood. A formidable growl rumbled in the back of his throat. The object of his fury sat cowering on a tree branch across from him, trembling so much that he nearly fell from his perch.

Finally, unable to contain it any longer, Barret's rage exploded. "YOU IDIOTIC CAT!" He yelled so loud that his voice shook the tree he was in. "Didn't we specifically tell you NOT to trick us again!?"

On the opposite tree sat Cait. The petrified cat was clinging to a branch with all his strength, his little claws fixed firmly in the wood. His Mog body was further down, its huge arms wrapped around the trunk. The bigger stuffed Mog was having a hard time climbing up the tree, so Cait abandoned it and climbed up himself. His gold-plated crown slipped over one eye as the tree shook.

"I didn't trick you!" the cat protested desperately. The tree jerked again, and the crown threatened to slip over his other eye. "It was an honest mistake! I swear!" Lifting a shaky paw, he pushed the crown back up to his head. As he moved the tree gave another hefty shake and he jerked forward, forcing him to clutch at the branch. Although he was only a robotic cat, he mewed pitifully.

Barret snorted derisively. "Honest my—" he began.

"That's enough!" snapped Cloud, his patience wearing thin.

Below them, the Vlakorados took a step back and charged headfirst into the tree. Its hefty bulk caused the tree to shudder violently, although thankfully the roots were strong and deep. It wasn't much consolation for the poor group who were sat in the tree's upper branches, holding on for dear life.

It had been three days since they left the Tiny Bronco on the southern shores of the Northern Continent, and already they were lost. They had no map—only vague directions given to them by Bugenhagen another two days before when they stopped by Cosmo Canyon.

Unfortunately the old man had not been very useful. Though he had travelled around a lot in his youth, he had not left Cosmo Canyon for some years, and had never been to the City of the Ancients. It was hard to find—he told them—for those who had never been there. It was built in the hidden depths of a canyon on the northern continent. The Sleeping Forest was like its guardian, preventing looters and monsters from finding the city and taking its hidden secrets. When Barret shouted and demanded more information, Bugenhagen just smiled and wished them luck on their journey. They left none the wiser and began their trek across the ocean.

Cait ended up leading the way, claiming that he had been gathering intelligence from the Shinra computers about where the Sleeping Forest was.

"_It's past a huge forest on the southern coast,"_ he piped up suddenly halfway through their second day at sea. _"You have to go through a town called Bone Village to get to it. No worries, I'll lead the way. We'll get there in no time. Trust me! Though we will be a little behind the Shinra. Heh, heh."_ Cait almost got a whack for that last statement, but they let him lead the way.

As expected, Cait had gotten them hopelessly, hopelessly lost. Soon after entering the forest that grew about a mile from the shore, Cait lost all sense of direction. He bounded off confidently at first, assuring them all that he was on the case and they would be in Bone Village by nightfall. But as the hours went by and the sun began to set in the sky, everyone began to realise that something wasn't right. It took long, cold stares from Cloud, Barret, and Vincent to force Cait to admit that he was lost.

"_It was an honest mistake!"_ Cait had protested so innocently as Barret threatened to thump him on the head. _"Anyone could get lost in a forest this big!"_

Cait's honest mistake had turned out to be a big problem. On the third day of their hike they ran unexpectedly into a hunting Vlakorados. The dragon-like beast had been tracking them for more than a day. It stalked stealthily despite its bulk, and nobody noticed it until it charged out of the trees and attacked them while they ate.

The dragon walked on two powerfully built legs that were made for short distance running. Its arms were far smaller and not very muscular, but were tipped with sharp blue-purple claws. Its head was also relatively small compared to the rest of its body, with beady yellow eyes eyeing them up hungrily. Two sets of long, curved horns grew out of the back of its neck, and smaller horns grew from its elbows. It was a formidable beast, not fast, but with a very high endurance.

"So what are we going to do?" asked Tifa. She'd dug the spiked tips of her gloves into the tree to keep from falling off.

"Hope it gets bored and runs off home?" Cid suggested, sat next to her.

Once he had tried to stab the Vlakorados with his spear. The beast responded to this by grabbing the spear in its mouth and yanking it out of his hand. All his materia was on his spear. The only other weapon he had was his lighter… or his boots.

"Hey, lizard-face!" Yuffie called down to the creature, waving her Razor Ring threateningly. "Run off and find prey your own size!" To emphasise her point, she hurled the weapon down toward the dragon. The jagged, circular blade sliced across the Vlakorados's face before spinning back to Yuffie's hand. The young ninja caught the weapon easily, her gloves protecting her hands from the damage.

In response the Vlakorados roared loudly and slammed its head hard against the tree again. Then it stepped back, turned around, and began to whack the tree with its long, powerful tail. Sparks of electricity flickered off the end of its tail with each strike.

"I don't think it was impressed by your attack, Yuffie," mumbled Red XIII. He was probably the safest of them all, with four claws feet stuck into the wood and his fiery tail wrapped around the trunk.

Vincent unhooked his gun and took aim at the Vlakorados. "We do not have time for this," was all he said before he let loose a parade of bullets upon the creature.

Feeling the bullets penetrate its scaly hide, the Vlakorados screeched and stepped back away from the tree. Bloodied and injured, it should have backed off. But it had not had a decent meal in more than a week and therefore was not prepared to let this large meal go without a fight.

Releasing his grip on the tree trunk, Vincent dropped off the branch and onto the ground. The Vlakorados's small eyes squinted at him, noting the red glow around him that was his body heat, and the faint beating that was his heart. The dragon roared and charged forward.

Vincent jumped up from the floor and, using the tree as a base, propelled himself over the Vlakorados's head. The beast, charging with all its strength, could not slow itself and slammed into the tree. At the same time Vincent withdrew a fresh chamber of guns from a hidden pocket in his cloak, slipped it smoothly into his gun, and fired once more on the creature. A trail of red split open down the creature's back.

"Now, Cloud," the red-cloaked man called up to Cloud. "Finish it off."

Cloud leaped out of the tree toward the injured, staggering dragon. He drew his new sword, Murasame, and stabbed it straight into the creature's back. The slender, curved blade of the samurai-like sword cut straight through the open wounds Vincent had prepared for him, leaving the innards exposed and vulnerable. The Murasame slid straight through its back, lungs, and heart. The dragon slumped instantly, blood frothing at its mouth.

"Well, that was anything short of interesting," Yuffie complained once everyone had climbed from the trees. She gave the Vlakorados's body a kick. "Next time we run into one of these things, let's make sure _we're_ the predators and _they're_ the prey."

Everyone agreed with her. "All right!" Cait said, jumping up. "Let's get going then!" He started to walk off into the forest. A firm hand gripped his shoulder and stopped him in his tracks. Cait turned to see Cloud staring at him, a harsh look on his face.

"Yuffie will lead the way from now on, Cait," he said in a tone that meant no arguments. "I think we've all had enough Shinra interference: honest or otherwise."

Cait stared at him, and then sagged in disappointment.

* * *

**Bone Village**

Yuffie proved to be a much better tracker than Cait. Within twenty minutes she found signs of a trail the others had missed, and was even able to confirm that the trail headed north. There were also signs of human life—faint footprints in the snow, occasional sweet wrappers half-buried in the undergrowth. No materia, she added in slight disappointment, but there was definitely a village somewhere around.

In fact they found Bone Village less than an hour later, appearing suddenly out of the forest and on top of them before they knew it. They knew right away it was Bone Village, unless there was another place that looked like an excavation site.

It really was more of an excavation site than an actual village, but so many people came to dig in the lands surrounding the forest that the diggers decided to build up homes and live here. The diggers were never left without something to do. New things were being dug up out of the rocky earth all the time. The skeletal remains of animals and ancient artefacts left buried and forgotten were just a handful of the things they had dug up over the years. Most of the stuff they found was worthless, but every so often the diggers would find something valuable. But more importantly, the people loved to dig up stuff. Hence why Bone Village was on the map.

Today was a fruitful day for the diggers of Bone Village. They had dug up plenty of new and interesting artefacts—ones that would fetch a good sum of money in the museums of Midgar. The foreman also had an inkling that Dio, manager of the Gold Saucer, would buy a couple of items for his museum, too. Rumour had it that he had developed an interest in rare and exotic items.

It was coming close to the end of the day. The sun's orb was sliding quickly down the horizon, casting a warm orange glow across the sky. He was just about to call an end to the day's dig when he spotted Cloud and his group enter the camp. He was about to go over and greet them, when he remembered there was still a box of items he hadn't catalogued yet. He hurried off to check them.

Cloud and his companions entered the Bone Village camp and looked round in surprise. The camp sure was a lively place. There were people everywhere; some carrying boxes of food or items; others still up to their knees in rock and mud, scraping at the edges of the walls with a shovel.

One digger, seeing that the foreman was busy with his cataloguing, got up from his assigned digging spot and ran over to greet them. "Welcome to Bone Village, a town for nature lovers," he said cheerfully. His face was covered in dirt from a long day's dig. His beaming smile showed he didn't mind, though. He wiped his dirty hand on his baggy overalls and held it out to the group.

Cloud shook the man's outstretched hand. His eyes scanned the rest of the camp as the others shook it as well. There was no sign of her. Cloud didn't know whether he should be thankful or not. Perhaps they past her? Aeris was skilled and getting strong, but she wasn't as fast or as brave as the rest of them. But if she had gotten here first… "Do you know where Aeris is?" Cloud asked, continuing to scan the camp.

The man closed his eyes in thought for a moment. The name seemed to ring a bell. "Are you talking about that girl?" he asked. He turned and pointed to the northwest section of the camp. "I warned her, but she went into the Sleeping Forest anyway."

With that, the digger hefted his heavy shovel back onto his shoulder and strolled off back to his digging spot, which was beside what looked like a large ruined plane. When he was out of earshot, Cloud turned to his companions.

"Aeris has been here already," he said, with some surprise.

"I wonder when she passed through here," said Tifa thoughtfully. "She might already be at the City of the Ancients by now."

Cloud frowned. If that was the case, then they needed to hurry.

They moved as quickly as they could through the camp. The diggers were beginning to pack up for the day now, and they had to constantly dodge and dive past diggers carrying crates and bags to the camp entrance. They climbed a ladder to the next level of the camp. The camp was built in a rocky section of the forest, and a new path leading into the forest opened up. The first few trees looked like the regular forest they had been travelling in for days. However after that, the trees looked like they changed completely. The friends gathered at the mouth of the forest, peering inside the eerie, natural doorway, when a voice behind them made them jump.

"The forest just beyond here is called the Sleeping Forest." The group turned to see a woman in purple dungarees standing behind them, one arm resting on her shovel. "Right now the forest is asleep and anyone who wanders in while it's asleep, it confuses. You can go in, but you may never come out…" She took off her safety helmet and ran her fingers through her brown hair. "But just now, a girl in pink and a man in a Black Cape went in. You think they'll be all right?"

Tifa caught Cloud looking at her. The same thought ran through their mind. 'Just went in'—that meant that they weren't that far behind Aeris and Sephiroth. If they entered this forest they could catch up to Aeris before Sephiroth did!

"But…" Tifa muttered sadly, turning her gaze back to the forest. If what the woman said about the forest was true, then there was no way that they could follow her. And what about Aeris? Would she also become lost in the Sleeping Forest's magic?

A man in green overalls answered her question for her. "You can awaken the Sleeping Forest if you have the Lunar Harp," he said, standing next to his digging companion. "Once awake, they say the forest will open a road for you. The girl in pink that just went in also used a Lunar Harp to get through."

Cloud stepped forward. "I want a Lunar Harp."

The man looked at him suspiciously for a second. He had talked only briefly to the girl in pink and had grown quite fond of her in that short space of time. He didn't want to let anyone who might hurt her through. There was no sign of hostility in Cloud's eyes, so he smiled and nodded his head toward the ground floor. "Ask the guy in the tent below," he told Cloud, and wandered off back to his digging.

"The Lunar Harp is somewhere in the ground here," the foreman told Cloud when asked. He was still going through the last of the crates, listing all the items found that day. Shutting the box with a satisfactory sigh, he climbed to his feet. "We could excavate it for you if you want to."

Cloud nodded and crossed his arms. "Start diggin'," he said. The quicker they found that Lunar Harp the better.

"All right!" the foreman said eagerly, rubbing his hands together. "Then I'll lend you some of my staff." Though it was close to nightfall, he was up for a bit of last minute digging. He put a hand on Cloud's shoulder and led him out of the tent and gestured to the rocky camp around them. "Show us where you want us to dig!"

Cloud looked out at the camp before him. He was no digger! He didn't even know where to begin looking for the Lunar Harp. Besides, hadn't they dug up the Lunar Harp once before, for Aeris? Why did he have to dig it up again when it had been dug up once before? Hesitantly he picked out five spots from around the camp, picking spots that were roughly the same distance apart and spread out across the camp.

"Now," said the foreman as he pocketed the 500 gil Cloud paid him for the diggers, ignoring Yuffie's heart-wrenched gaze at the transaction, "the staff will dig here. The result of the dig will be placed in the town treasure box overnight."

"Sir!"

The foreman, who had been heading back into his tent to finish packing, looked up in surprise. One of the hired diggers was running across the camp toward him, carrying some long, blue, and slender in his hand. It looked a little like a harp. Red XIII's ears perked up and he tried to squeeze in between Cid and Barret in an attempt to see what the digger was carrying a little better. He sniffed cautiously, catching the faint scent of flowers. Flowers? That was odd.

After a few brief words with the foreman, the digger handed the item to his boss and then ran back into the camp. He disappeared quickly amidst the sea of people packing and preparing to leave, tying their belongings securely to the cars they used to travel between the camp and the town. The foreman turned to face the group, a slightly sheepish smile on his face.

"Well, it looks like we won't need to dig after all," he said with a nervous laugh, and opened up his hand.

It was the Lunar Harp. It was easy to recognise because the harp was shaped much like a crescent mean. It was perfect in every detail. The harp appeared to be made out of night blue coloured crystal and had an inner sparkle that seemed like the fiery glow of thousands of stars. Thin, strong strings lined the inside of the harp, shimmering bright red in the setting sun.

Cloud took the harp from the foreman. It rested perfectly in his hands. The Lunar Harp was a truly beautiful item. The blue crystal was smooth and cool; its touch brought a pleasant tingle to his fingers as he ran them over its surface. He lightly touched the strings. A soft, melodic sound echoed from the instrument—a sound so soft and quietening that everyone who heard it felt instantly calmer and at peace.

"Beautiful…" whispered Tifa. Yuffie and Red XIII both nodded in agreement.

Cloud let his eyes linger over the instrument a few seconds more before shaking himself loose of its mystical enchantment. He looked around at his friends. They all looked back at him. No one had forgotten the mission at hand. "Let's get going," said Cloud firmly.

The companions moved back across the camp. Most of the diggers had moved off now—their cars could be heard driving through the forest. The northwest area was completely deserted, everything beginning to grow dark in the approaching nightfall. The path leading into the Sleeping Forest was darker now, seeming like a dark tunnel stretching into blackness.

Cloud felt a sudden sense of unease as he stood at the entrance to the Sleeping Forest. All of a sudden the hairs on the back of his neck and arms stood on end. A terrifying chill crept over his body, like thousands and thousands of ants were crawling across his bare flesh. He shivered. What was this feeling of apprehension he felt when looking into the Sleeping Forest? Did anyone else feel it? Before anyone could see his hesitation he hurriedly stepped forward, walking through the dark doorway that led into the Sleeping Forest.

Darkness enveloped him for a few seconds as the shadows of the forest took over. Cloud walked hesitantly forward, taking careful steps in the blackness. Then with a start that made him almost jump back, the darkness was gone.

The original forest was gone, replaced by a sight Cloud had never seen yet felt it strangely familiar. It took him a few seconds to realise where he was. He was standing in the forest of his dream, where he had met Aeris and she had told him of her plans to stop Sephiroth. And where Sephiroth had said she must be stopped…

Everything was as it was in the dream, the trees, the air, and even the glow of unnatural light at the end of the path. That was where he had last seen Aeris—as she ran into the distance toward the City of the Ancients. That path, Cloud realised, led to the real depths of the Sleeping Forest. That light was the magic of the forest, there to confuse and disorientate those who tried to navigate its hidden paths. His hand went to the Lunar Harp at his side and prayed that it would world.

The others came out of the forest behind him, and each one looked around in wonder. Except for Vincent who glanced at the forest with uninterested red eyes. Apart from when he was fighting, Vincent rarely showed any emotion. A handy trick to have, Cloud thought, and envied Vincent for his ability to remain stoic.

Still, Cloud added to himself quietly, I wonder if there is anything or anyone in this world that can make him react.

The group of eight began to walk through the forest. Cloud held up the Lunar Harp, wondering how and when he was supposed to play it. Should he play it now, or was he to wait? Was there a specific tune he had to play in order to get the forest to lift its spell of confusion?

Cloud decided to take a chance on now. Bringing the company to a halt, they all gathered around him as he held up the harp. He began to strum the strings softly.

To his and everyone's surprise, the sounds that sprung forth from the harp were loud and unmelodic; completely unlike those they heard when they were outside the forest. Cloud still the strings with the flat of his hand, flushing in his shame at his lack of musical skill.

Yet as they watched, something strange began to happen to the forest. The leaves in the trees rustled, though there was no wind blowing. The trunks of the trees groaned and creaked right down to their roots, though nothing touched them. The blades of grass at their feet twitched and swayed, though nothing moved through them. At the end of the path, the glow of light flashed and faded a little, like a door being opened. The Sleeping Forest had awakened.

Yuffie was on the floor while this was happening, happily clutching a piece of materia she had found in the undergrowth. When she heard the trees groaning she dropped the materia in a flash, where it rolled steadily toward Cait Sith. The Mog picked it up and held it up to Cait, who stuck it gladly in his megaphone.

"Is that it?" asked Barret.

Cloud looked down at the harp. The star-like sparkles in the harp's handle had vanished. Its magic was gone. "I think so," he surmised.

Without really knowing what else to do, Cloud placed the harp at the base of a nearby tree. It was an odd thing to do, he thought. The harp looked like an item left behind in remembrance of a fallen comrade who has died at that particular spot. Shrugging, he followed the others as they headed into the now awakened Sleeping Forest.

The harp, meanwhile, seemed quite happy where it was. For as the Cloud and the others vanished into the distance, the harp lightly strummed melodic tunes of farewell notes into the fading light.

* * *

**Emerald:** I will stop butting in one of these days. Just wanted to make a note of the change of events in Bone Village. I didn't want to go through the whole dig thing, so I changed it so they found the Lunar Harp on the same day. That way they'd reach the City of the Ancients by nightfall. And also, I've never seen a picture of the Lunar Harp, so I don't know what it looks like. This is my own invention. I don't have the original Japanese game where they show us pictures of the items as well… Like Cloud's lacy black underwear from Wall Market. I wonder if he's still wearing that… 


	33. Part 08: Chapter 33

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

The path through the Sleeping Forest proved to be a straightforward one. Once the Lunar Harp had awakened the forest it had opened up a path for them, heading away from Bone Village and deeper into the depths of the forest. They stumbled across the path almost immediately, when the harp's harsh, wakening tones had faded from the air. How the path appeared was a mystery to them: one second it was not there, and then in a blink of an eye it was, ready to guide their way.

The route itself was simple in its course. A clear, rocky path cut right through the centre of the forest, making it impossible for them to wander and lose their way. Strange bushes and trees grew like markers around it, so if they did happen to wander off they could easily find their way back again. The trees that grew around the path were stunted and had wide trunks, their upper canopies as flat as a tabletop. Growths of red coral sprung up here and there, releasing a spicy scent into the air that was both uplifting and invigorating. Unfortunately it made Red XIII sneeze, so he steered well clear of the red coral when it appeared.

In the sunset the Sleeping Forest had a very magical feel to it. The leaves on the flat-topped trees were lined with a thin later of moisture and when the orange sun shone down on them they shimmered like stars in the twilight. The shades of red on the coral growths grew deeper into a dark shade of red, their thick branches creaking in the wind. Even in the fading light the forest was warm.

At one point during their hike the path came to a stop, ending at the base of a steep, rocky cliff. Just when the companions thought they had to turn around and go back, the forest opened up another path for them that again had not been there before. A short, rocky outcrop had appeared just a few metres back, leading to the top of the short cliff. The group climbed the outcropping and crossed the gap inside a large, fallen tree trunk that had mysteriously fallen across it.

After crossing the cliff, the group decided to stop for a quick rest. They could not stop for long—the sun was settling rapidly and they had to escape the Sleeping Forest before darkness descended on them completely. But it had been a long time since they last ate, their last meal having been interrupted by the Vlakorados. They gathered together in the cooling air and shared small chunks of bread, dried fruit, and some smoked meats.

The forest provided its own addition into their meal in the form of tiny red cherries that strangely appeared on one of the trees. Although they were sure that cherries could not grow in this part of the Planet, they ate them anyway. The cherries were plump and juicy and left a warm feeling in their stomachs, pushing aside the cold air.

Their stomachs full, the companions set off once again through the forest, moving quickly to escape the rising darkness. The forest also seemed to sense their haste and hurried with them—opening paths that would guide them as quickly as possible to their destination.

Not long after the rocky path began to break up and disappear, replaced by a path of bony scales leading out of the forest. The companions scarcely realised the change of scenery until the trees and coral suddenly came to an end and they were confronted by a long, winding trail leading down into the depths of a deep canyon. That and the fact that Cid unknowingly caught his spear in the gap between two of the scaly slabs and was jerked almost off his feet.

The sun was starting to set faster now and dark shadows were beginning to fall over the canyon. From their position they could see the trail winding safely at a steady pace into the canyon, never at any point too steep to walk down. The flat-topped trees reappeared at irregular intervals down the path. Or at least they appeared to be trees—they couldn't be sure. Most of them converged at what appeared to be the end of the trail, leaving only a shadowed opening.

From their position at the top of the canyon, the companions looked down upon the landscape. There was no sign of the City of the Ancients, but the companions knew that they were close. Whether it was the charge of power in the air or the impression of isolation and loneliness they could not be sure. As everyone looked around, their eyes were drawn to the same point—the shadowy doorway at the foot of the canyon. At the same time everybody knew: the City of the Ancients lay beyond the shadows.

"If I were a City-of-the-Whatever, that's where I'd be," said Barret, pointing.

"The Forgotten City…" Cloud breathed, not really listening.

He scanned the path. He could not see Aeris anywhere on the path. Nor could he see Sephiroth. Again he wondered if they had maybe passed them somewhere in the forest. No, he thought, shaking his head. The forest path was fixed—there would have been no way they could have passed Aeris without seeing her first. Yet there was no sign of her. Perhaps she had already reached the city. Even if she had… could he protect her?

"There, Cloud… Good boy."

Memories of the events in the Temple of the Ancients caused self-doubt to stir in his mind once more. He could almost hear Sephiroth's voice inside his head, taunting and mocking. It was as though Sephiroth was taking great pleasure in trying to manipulate him. Cloud frowned and squeezed his eyes shut to blot out the growing headache. No more. He wouldn't let Sephiroth try to confuse him anymore. Everything Sephiroth said was a lie. All lies.

Lies…

* * *

**City of the Ancients—The Forgotten City**

They entered the City of the Ancients just as the sun disappeared behind the western mountains. The warmth it had provided until then disappeared and left the companions feeling cold and shivering a little. Now out of the shelter of the forest a chill wind began to blow and they had to rub their shoulders briskly to circulate their blood and gain some warmth. Their breath came out in short puffs of white steam.

Known as the Forgotten City by the rest of the Planet, the City of the Ancients was no longer a city, but a ruin. It was easy to see why it was nicknamed the Forgotten City, though the title suited the city more as an epitaph now more than a name. At some point during the city's over 2000-year-old past, it had been abandoned by its inhabitants and forgotten by the rest of the world.

Over the passage of time many buildings had fallen apart, but there were still some that were left standing. These remaining few buildings were worn and weathered—the creamy-grey stone was cracked and in disrepair, with some missing vital parts of their construction. There was no building left unscathed. The companions were surprised any of the buildings were standing at all. Whoever built them those thousands of years ago had built them to last.

There were three main paths leading into the city. The centre path led up to the grove of stone-like trees they had seen from the top of the canyon. The left-hand path led to a small cluster of houses, while the right-hand path wound its way through the city toward the other side of the canyon. The group presumed that path led out of the city as well, heading into the mountains.

The group spent a short time exploring the city. A short time it was, since the city was not all that big and night was descending quicker than ever. They gained nothing from their walk other than that the city was completely deserted. There was no sign of anything living in the entire city except for a small family of mice that Red XIII stumbled across while sniffing around inside one of the abandoned homes. There had been no sign of Aeris.

When they returned to the centre of the city the sky was almost completely dark. The shadows, which had only touched the top of the canyon before, now slid over the top of the rocky grove of trees. They stretched across the length of the cavern, reaching out for the city floor.

After watching the shadows begin to snake across the trees, Cloud turned to his companions. Their faces were dark and shadowed with exhaustion. Red XIII's head hung low and his tail was limp on the floor—even the fiery spark on the tip of his tail seemed to dim in the receding light. Cloud sighed. He couldn't ask them to continue searching in the dark. "We might as well find somewhere to rest," he said.

Thankful, the companions headed toward one of the nearby houses on the right-hand path. It was the only house that was almost completely standing, though telltale cracks in the stone framework suggested that in another decade or so that would not be the case.

There was no door—that had rotted away a long time ago. Whatever had passed for furniture two thousand years ago had also disintegrated into dust and returned to the Planet. Yet to their utmost amazement, however, there were beds in the upstairs rooms. The flimsy remains of blankets broke apart in their hands, but the wooden beds still seemed sturdy and firm.

"Look, there's a bed here," said Red XIII, putting his nose close to the bed and sniffing. Dust flew up his nose and he sneezed, sending clouds of dust into the air.

"How COOL!" exclaimed Yuffie, running her hand across the mattress. "I can't believe we found such a soft bed in a dive like this." Before anyone could stop her, she jumped up onto the bed. Everyone held their breaths as she strutted across it, hearing the wood creak and bend. It held.

Tifa sighed heavily and turned to Cloud. "Shall we take a break here?" she asked.

Cloud nodded. Almost at once Red XIII flopped down onto the floor, his tired legs no longer wanting to support his weight. Yuffie sat on the bed and fell sideways, her head hitting the mattress with a soft thump. The others took up various positions in the room. Tifa helped herself to the other empty bed while the men tried to make themselves as comfortable as possible on the dusty floor.

One by one the group drifted off, drifting off on the hard floors and soft beds. Before long Barret's rumbling snore filled the room, prompting a swift kick from Cid and a sharp poke with the butt of his spear. The big man rolled over, not waking, and after a few minutes began to snore again. Once or twice Red XIII twitched and sneezed in his sleep, dust creeping irritably up his nose.

Only Cloud remained unable to sleep. He sensed Tifa watching him as he lay down on the floor near to the bed. He shut his eyes and tried to force his body to relax, levelling his breathing until it looked as though he was asleep. The bed creaked as Tifa turned away from him, satisfied. When he thought she was asleep he rolled onto his back and put his hands behind his head, wide awake and deep in thought.

An hour rolled by and still Cloud could not sleep. He resorted to pacing the floor, his heavy boots thudding softly on the wood. No one stirred. Cloud felt restless; his fingers itched and his muscles burned. Clenching and unclenching his fists, Cloud continued to pace until he thought he would walk a hole in the floor. Unable to stand his pacing any longer, he lay down on the floor and tried to force himself to sleep. After a while he managed it, falling into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Half an hour later Cloud awoke to the sound of a voice whispering softly in his ear. He was barely aware of his movements as he stood up, tiptoed past his sleeping companions and stepped out into the dark corridor. His eyes were glazed over as he looked up at the stone ceiling of the house, listening intently to the voice.

"I feel it…" he said to no one, his voice sounding unlike his own.

"…What's wrong?"

Cloud turned to look behind him and saw Vincent standing a few feet away. Cloud did not seem to recall the red-cloaked man at first, staring at him with empty blue eyes. After a moment, recognition replaced his glazed over look as Cloud was brought suddenly back to the present. The others, awake but still groggy with sleep, came out of the bedroom and stood behind Vincent.

"Aeris is here"—Cloud looked solidly from one to the other before adding—"…And so is Sephiroth."

That startled everyone into wakefulness. They huddled together in the chill night air, made suddenly chillier by Cloud's abrupt statement. Instinctively they glanced around the corridor, as though they expected Sephiroth to magically leap out of the walls and attack them.

"No way---!" Yuffie said loudly, her shrill voice ringing painfully in the still air of the house and making the others cringe. Red XIII looked up at her and growled menacingly, but she ignored him and continued. "Sephiroth wasn't invited!"

"But how can you tell?" asked Tifa.

Cloud bit his lip. He did not really know how he knew. He just knew. When he opened his eyes something deep inside him had told him Sephiroth was nearby. The knowledge came to him like a voice whispering in his ear, telling him what he needed to know. He could hear it still, softly, inside his mind. But whose voice was it? Was it Aeris's? Or Sephiroth's?

Cid and Barret were watching him closely. Though startled at first, they looked less than convinced by Cloud's tale now. They eyed him over suspiciously. Cloud, seeing them staring at him, shifted uncomfortably.

"…It's not an excuse," said Cloud quickly. He frowned as he tried to think of the best way to explain what it was he was feeling. Finally he nodded and put a hand on his chest, over his heart. "I feel it in my soul," he said. He looked at the two. Cid clicked his tongue behind his teeth; Barret crossed his arms and grunted his approval.

"Um," Red XIII interrupted, bringing them all back to the matter at hand. "…What should we do? We must hurry to her!"

Everybody looked at Red XIII. Cloud nodded. Enough time had been wasted already. Whether his words were true or not, they had to find Aeris before Sephiroth found her and she got hurt. "…Right. Let's hurry and find Aeris," said Cloud firmly.

Drawing their weapons, the group hurried out of the house and into the night. A bank of clouds obscured the starry sky—it looked like rain was coming in. Or it could be snow, this far north. But no one's minds were on what was above them, only on what was ahead. Without the light of the stars it was hard to see the path. They had to feel their way across the uneven scales else they would trip and break their necks.

Cloud came to a stop in the middle of the path. A gentle voice was drifting on the wind, the sound of a pure heart singing a midnight prayer. He looked up toward the heart of the city, toward the only part they had left unexplored as twilight fell upon them. The silvery voice came from there, slipping out of the darkness of the opening.

"Aeris's voice… …coming from there?"

The others watched Cloud as he walked past them and headed down the central path. The grove of stone-like trees loomed ahead of him. Their rough, flat tops tipped precariously around the doorway. Merging into the foot of the cavern, they formed a tunnel that cut briefly through the canyon and to the other side. Cloud did not hesitate before walking into the shadows. Aeris's voice was louder now.

On the other side of the tunnel there was another path that led to an unusually shaped building. The building was shaped rather like a large shell that had been placed on its side, its curved opening at its base. Sharp spikes jutted out here and there across its gravely frame. In front of the building was a large pool of clear water, shallow enough to wade through except for one spot where the ground opened up and delved into deep shadows. How deep it went was anybody's guess. But Cloud ignored the pool. Aeris's voice whispered out of the doorway.

Paying no heed to the others behind him, Cloud walked around the pool toward the building. Aeris's voice was getting louder now—he could almost make out words amidst the devout whispers. He entered the building.

The interior of this building was unlike any of the other homes. There were no rooms or furniture—or the remains of them. This house was one big room, with a single path that spiralled around the wall of the 'shell' until it neared the top. The centre of the shell contained no floor. Instead there was a hole leading deep underneath the earth. Leading into that hole was a radiant blue staircase made of pure energy.

Tifa and the others all crowded around the balustrade, leaning over to see where the staircase led. They gasped and gawped, pointing and chattering loudly. Cloud paid no attention to them or the staircase. The mystery of this strange room did not interest him. It was as if he had been here before, or seen it through another's eyes. Aeris's voice came from the hole.

Before he realised what he was doing, Cloud found himself heading down the spiral staircase leading into the hole. He heard Tifa's voice calling for him to wait up, but he took no notice. Even when the others fell into step behind him, still muttering and chattering, he took no notice.

All chattering ceased as they entered the inner sanctum of the city. They found suddenly that the narrow hole opened up into a great chasm so vast and so deep that they could not see the bottom.

Yet it was what lay in this huge cavern that made them go silent with awe. Another city had been built underneath the other one, and this one was far from ruined. Great towers and buildings made from an unknown substance rose from the ground Walls of shimmering crystal rose up from the perimeter at uneven levels, acting as a shield. Those walls had been level at some point, joining together at a single point to form a protective barrier in the shape of a sparkling flame.

The spiral staircase led down toward one of the towers. Cloud and his companions followed it in total silence. No one dared speak; no one wanted to disturb the tranquil peace that filled this city, the _true_ Forgotten City.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and came out of the tower. They looked around in awe. Though this city had been abandoned for more than a thousand years also, nothing was in ruin. Some magic kept this city alive. The group walked carefully down a set of stairs that led toward the centre of this small but still magnificent city.

They came to a stop at the end of the boulevard. A large pool lay before them, filled with crystal clear water that glistened and iridescent blue, reflecting the light of the towering walls of crystal overhead. This pool formed the centre of the city. A number of rising stone pillars rose from the waters, heading up toward a large platform in the heart of the city.

Without waiting for the others, Cloud jumped off the edge of the boulevard and landed firmly on the first and lowest pillar. When he steadied himself he looked up at the platform, which was a little more in view. There was someone there. Cloud could just about see the head of a person on the pillar. Cloud strained to see better in the faint blue light, and stretched up on his toes to see who it was. Finally her face came into view and Cloud's heart almost stopped.

"Aeris?"

It was Aeris on the platform. The young Ancient knelt in the middle of the podium, her eyes closed and lost in prayer. Her head was lowered; she could not see Cloud or the others, nor hear Cloud say her name. Her staff stood at the edge of the podium. Her brown hair was ruffled and her clothes were slightly dirty from days of travelling, but she looked unharmed. Cloud breathed a sigh of relief. She was all right! Still, something in Cloud told him to be cautious.

Tifa stepped up to the edge of the boulevard, preparing to jump and join Cloud on the pillar. Suddenly Cloud shot his hand back at her, acknowledging the others for the first time since entering the city. He waved his hand at Tifa, who nodded and stepped back from the edge.

Turning back to the podium, Cloud looked up at Aeris once more. She was so close now—he could protect her from Sephiroth now. He took his eyes away from the podium and began to jump across the remaining pillars. He finally landed at the edge of the podium, the sound of his landing echoing slightly in the empty city. Still Aeris did not stir from her prayer. It was as though she was asleep or lost in a trance.

Cloud took a step forward until Aeris was so close he could reach out and touch her silky brown hair. He could hear her speak softly to herself, murmuring words he could not understand. He could hear her soft breath. He took a step closer to her.

What happened next would haunt Cloud until years later. As he stepped closer, a gentle throbbing in his head made him stop. His body stiffened. Cloud tried to shake his head, but he could not move it. Then, completely of its own will, his hand reached up and drew the Buster Sword from its place upon his back. Cloud tried to twist his arm away as he lowered the blade, its tip pointing straight at Aeris's heart. Then Cloud grasped the sword with both hands and lifted it high above his head. He started to bring it down.

"What are you doing!"

"Sto----p!"

Startled by Red XIII and Yuffie's cries, Cloud staggered backward and lowered his sword, the blade clanking loudly against the floor. A loud whistle was ringing in the back of his head, making it throb painfully. Cloud shook his head briskly, appalled at what he had very nearly done.

"Ugh… what are you making me do?" he asked aloud.

Cloud looked at Aeris, who remained tranquil in her kneeling stance in the middle of the podium, her hands folded together in prayer. Suddenly she opened her eyes and lifted her head, seeing Cloud for the very first time. Her green eyes met his blue ones. It was as though she had just come out of a trance. She did not seem very surprised to see him. Cloud stared back at her, still holding his sword in his hands.

As he watched, Aeris became bathed in a shower of green light from the unknown depths above, enveloping her in its warmth and power. It was as though some unknown entity was answering her prayer.

Upon seeing Cloud, a smile spread across Aeris's face. It was a smile that would forever burn in Cloud's memory. A smile of joy and of hope. It would be a personal memory. A last memory. As the green light swept over Aeris, that smile deepened.

Nobody saw the dark shadow that flittered across the light, nor the figure that appeared at its heart. The green light flashed as a leather-clad figure dropped from the skies, his long sword drawn and pointing to the earth. His long silver hair whipped in the wind as Sephiroth flew down from the light, his eyes transfixed on the Ancient as she knelt smiling at her beloved friend, unaware. Nobody saw… until it was too late.

The blade pierced Aeris's waist, slipping straight through her skin and clothes. Her hands dropped to her sides. Her upper half tipped forward and bobbed, nearly impaling her head on the blade. Aeris opened her eyes to see the glittering metal of the masamune coming cleanly out of her front, devoid of blood but fatal nonetheless. Her eyes widened. She gasped.

Sephiroth stood behind her, holding the sword's hilt firmly in both hands, looking down at the Ancient as she knelt dying before him. His cold green-blue eyes raised from her to Cloud, and a menacing smile touched his lips. Then he slowly withdrew the blade, pulling Aeris upright as it was pulled out of her body. Aeris did not even gasp, for she no longer felt any pain.

Aeris began to fall, her head tilting forward suddenly as her eyes closed and her last breaths left her body. The sudden movement caused the ribbon in her hair to come loose and fall away, releasing her long hair and the materia that held it in place. The white ball of materia fell through the air, its cloudy surface glittering with a soft green light as both materia and Ancient fell to the earth.

* * *

**Emerald:** And that's it for that chapter! Aren't I mean? The next chapter will be a song-fic chapter. I'll be using the lyrics to Rikki's _Pure Heart_. 


	34. Part 08: Chapter 34

**_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_**

Disc 01 and Part 08 are finally coming to an end, and I thought it would be nice if I ended this part of the story by making it into a songfic chapter, especially since it's such a touching part of the game. The song I have chosen for this is _Pure Heart_, by Rikki. If you have not heard this song before, I highly recommend it. This song was listed as a Final Fantasy X song when I found it, and yet it is known as Aerith's theme. I am using both the Japanese lyrics and the English translation.

Thank you all so much for reading the fic this far. It has been almost three years, and we're finally at the end of the first disc. I'm sorry it has taken so long to get here. After this chapter we will finally be in disc two territories. But this instalment does not end here. I will be ending this instalment at the Birth of Weapon.

(Oh, and sorry if I sound a little bit sappy—I'm listening to _Pure Heart_ as I write to keep me in the mood and make sure I don't stray from the level of emotion I want.)

* * *

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment **

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

The materia fell through the air. Inside its white-green globe there was a turquoise-coloured cloud, swirling and wavering as though overflowing with unknown power. The light from above reflected off its surface, merging with the brilliant glow that was shining from within it. Time itself seemed to slow as it fell.

The mako ball hit the ground with a resounding clang, and bounced back into the air. The sound of its landing could be heard in every part of the Forgotten City, in every room and every tower. The materia bounced again. Each bounce took it closer to the edge of the podium.

Its next bounce took it right over the edge, and the materia disappeared from the views of those standing on the platform. Those not on the platform could see it still, watching in silence as it dropped from pillar to pillar toward the water, the aura of light surrounding it lighting its path. When it finally bounced from the last pillar it fell into the water, slipping beneath its surface and leaving just a small ripple behind. The materia sank into the dark water, its glow of light fading and fading until it could no longer be seen. The materia was gone.

* * *

_Nagaku tsuzuku kono michi no mukou ni _

_Shinjirareru mono ga kitto aru  
_

* * *

Cloud caught Aeris as she fell. She landed lifelessly in his arms, her eyes closed as though in sleep. She looked as if she could be asleep. Her face was smooth and peaceful, her eyes gently shut and her mouth set in a peaceful smile. But no breath passed through her lips. No pulse of life ran through her veins. Cloud held her gently in his arms, leaning over her face, searching for any sign of life within her. 

"…Aeris?" he asked. Aeris did not answer. Her body lay limp in his arms, her head tilted away from him. Long lengths of her brown hair were strewn across her smooth face. Tightening his grip on her hair and arm, Cloud shook her gently, unable to believe that she was gone. He choked. "This can't be real!"

Behind him stood Sephiroth. The son of Jenova stood still, his arms raised valiantly to the sky. His masamune was still in his hand, bloodless, just as Aeris's fatal wound remained bloodless. Sephiroth's face was euphoric, revelling in the feelings he obtained as a new spirit drifted toward the Planet.

"Do not worry," he said. His voice was startlingly gentle, like a mother soothing a wounded child. "Soon the girl will become part of the Planet's energy. All that is left is to go North. The 'Promised Land' waits for me over the snowy fields. There, I will become a new being by uniting with the planet. As will this girl…"

"…Shut up." Cloud was horrified to find that he was shaking. Angrily he bit his lip and tightened his grip further, forcing the shakes to shop. When they were under his control, he looked at Sephiroth. "The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing. Aeris is gone." He looked back at the woman lying lifeless in his arms. "Aeris will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry…… or get angry……"

* * *

_Kaze no naka no tabibito no you ni_

_Kita no sora wo mezashite ikeba_

* * *

Unwelcome tears filled his eyes. Cloud pulled Aeris close to him. He held her as close as he could, hoping that in some way his own wish for her to live would bring her spirit back from the planet, make her heart beat again. Nothing happened. Cloud buried his head in the soft fabric of her jacket to hide his tears.

"What about us…… what are WE supposed to do?" he asked. He lifted his head and laid Aeris as gently as he could onto the floor. "What about my pain?" He took her hand, feeling its slipping warmth. Anger and fear rose in him as he began to shake again. "My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!"

Sephiroth lowered his arms and looked at Cloud in surprise. "What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me you have feelings too?"

"Of course!" Cloud shouted, ignoring the harsh sound of his voice as it echoed around the Forgotten City. He jumped up and spun round to face Sephiroth. His fists shook with rage. "Who do you think I am!?"

A knowing smile spread on Sephiroth's face, mocking and taunting. He seemed highly amused by Cloud's anger. "Ha, ha, ha… Stop acting as if you were sad," he laughed. "There's no need to act as though you're angry, either."

Sephiroth spread his arms and levitated into the air. He hovered about two metres off the ground, just out of Cloud's reach. He looked down at the ex-SOLDIER, the mocking smile still on his face. "Because, Cloud. You are…"

Suddenly Sephiroth spun in the air and flew straight up, vanishing in the green light. Seconds later a small speck of black appeared in the centre of the light, growing larger as it fell, and dropped by Cloud's feet. It was a piece of dismembered flesh, flopping and twitching as it tried to crawl rapidly toward him with nonexistent claws. Cloud recognised it at once: another piece of Jenova.

The dismembered arm suddenly convulsed, its floppy flesh hardening into rock. That flesh then split open with a crack, unleashing, like before, beams of purple black light that waved around wildly. Once more abnormally dark blood began to creep out of the glowing wound, sliding across the podium and dripping steadily over the edge and down the sides. The blood hissed as it touched the water. The arm sizzled and bubbled as the light engulfed it, growing larger before Cloud's eyes. A tall, familiar shadow could be seen inside the light, looking this way and that. Two small red eyes opened and peered out of the darkness, focusing on Cloud. The light faded.

* * *

_ Kiekaketa atsui omoi _

_Mou ichido mune no naka de_

_Kagayaki yureru  
_

* * *

Jenova looked different from before. The flesh was redder, as though more blood pumped through its veins, making it seem more alive. More folds of loose flesh hung around the base of its body, folding like a dress made of pure fleshy tissue. It still had only one arm, the tentacle-like strands making up its other side wriggling attentively. All wounds from the previous battle had vanished. She was completely reformed. Jenova looked down at Cloud as Sephiroth did, mocking and unkind. She stepped forward, her folds of skin rustling sickeningly. 

Cloud staggered backward and fell to the floor. His hand groped wildly for his sword, which he had dropped when he rushed to take hold of Aeris as she fell. The Buster Sword was out of reach. He forgot about the Murasame still strapped to his back. Jenova loomed over him; drool dripped hungrily from her thin mouth. She reached out to him with her one good arm, it's tail-like tip twitching in anticipation.

Remembering his other sword at last, Cloud whipped it out and swiped it in front of him. Jenova recoiled in pain and screeched, the tip of her tentacle-arm missing. Blood, a mixture of black and red, sprayed from the open wound. Cloud rolled out of the way. He pulled Aeris's body with him, keeping her out of the way of the battle.

Gunshots, growls, and the sound of a chainsaw whirred behind him. Barret and the others had made their way across the pillars and were joining in the battle. Cloud laid Aeris down in a safe spot against the edge of the podium and then ran back to fight with the others.

The others were fighting fiercely, their anger exploding into a rage none of them had ever felt before. Barret, with his hatred of the Shinra for destroying his beloved hometown and killing his wife, had ever felt hatred such as this. Even Vincent, ever calm and mysterious, wore an expression of anger as he leapt through the air toward Jenova and fired his gun.

* * *

_Namida nante koboshitakunai no_

_Yowai jibun ni makenai tame ni_

* * *

A flash of yellow light lit up the podium as Cid summoned the Lightning God Ramuh into the fray. A bolt of lightning struck the water and the god appeared, hovering just a few feet above the water. Although elderly and frail in appearance, powerful electrical energy crackled all over him and made the water beneath his feet ripple. In the old man's hand was a wooden staff that flickered with electrical energy. 

Sensing the Jenova's form before him, Ramuh floated higher from the ground until he loomed over her. He raised his staff. Electricity began to flicker and crackle around it, as though the staff were drawing in power from the very air around it. Ramuh waited until the staff was brimming with power before hurtling it down away from him and toward Jenova.

Jenova stiffened as the staff struck, and her screech was cut short into a choking croak. For a moment she froze, paralysed by the lightning that whipped around her. The scent of burning flesh filled the air, and it was not a nice smell.

Ramuh was not the only summon called in to battle. Vincent had summoned Odin—a powerful dark knight who rode upon a terrible stallion. This dark knight was riding on an invisible path through the air toward Jenova as Ramuh's staff electrified her body. While Jenova was paralysed and unable to move, Odin struck.

His large, thick-bladed sword struck Jenova in her side, slicing through the rubbery flesh that made up her right shoulder. The giant, claw-like limb was pulled back as the sword cut, sending showers of blood through the air. Then the limb was torn free, ligaments snapping, and fell to the floor. Odin and Ramuh disappeared, leaving Jenova screeching and shrieking in pain and rage.

Jenova turned her head and saw Red XIII running across the pillars, preparing an attack on her face. Jenova made a guttural growl. A bright blaze of blue light flared before her eyes and a beam of light fired at Red XIII. The hound was hit square in the chest and flew back with an agonised howl. He hit the path beyond the podium and skidded across the floor, slamming into the far wall. Smoke rose from his fur and a painful wound burned on his chest. Red XIII tried to climb to his feet, staggered, and then slid to the floor again, his tail light dim.

* * *

Kazaranai kokoro dake ga 

_Motteiru me ni wa mienai_

_Ooki na tsubasa_

* * *

"Red XIII!" 

Tifa ran across the podium, jumping over Jenova's swinging foot folds and the pillars to reach Red XIII. She knelt beside the hound, who was lying weakly on the ground. The fur on his chest was black. Hurriedly Tifa delved into one of her pouches and pulled out a small blue bottle. She poured the potion into her hand and quickly rubbed it over the wound. Red XIII winced. The potion sank into the wound, which began to close almost instantly. Red XIII looked up at Tifa feebly and smiled.

The battle against Jenova was becoming more intense. More attacks from Odin, Ramuh, Ifrit and Shiva had opened up more bloody wounds—Jenova was now missing both her shoulder limbs, her left side burned to a crisp by Ifrit's flame. Barret completed the job his summon started with his chainsaw, slicing through the crispy flesh till it fell to the floor. Jenova's tentacle strands tried to grab him as he dropped, but Barret sliced them away.

The summon Yuffie obtained from Wutai proved to be useless against Jenova. When Yuffie summoned the water snake Leviathan and showered her with a tower of water, Jenova simply shook the water off and struck back with a blue flame that almost burned Yuffie where she stood. The ninja leaped aside in the nick of time, although the flame seared her left ankle.

Jenova was attacking wildly now, sending sheets of blue flame in all directions as she tried to kill the group quickly. Every so often she would breath in deeply and send bubbles of ice-cold water after them. She hit Cait with such a bubble, and the robotic animal almost fell from the edge of the podium into the water. Luckily Cait managed to grab the edge of the rail and pull himself to safety.

* * *

_ Te wo hiroge utainagara _

_Yuukyuu no toki ni dakare_

_Inochi wo tsunagu_

* * *

Suddenly the ground beneath Jenova's feet shook wildly as Yuffie tried another magic available to her. Deep cracks burst open at the far end of the podium and formed around Jenova. The ground quivered as the cracks widened, and Jenova shook precariously from side to side, caught off balance by the power of the Earth magic. Part of the ground in front of her jutted suddenly upward, and Jenova tipped backward. 

This was their chance. As Jenova began to fall, Vincent leaped up, aimed his gun and fired two shots at Jenova's neck. The bullets hit their mark and Jenova screeched, tipping further back. Then Cloud jumped up from the rail, Murasame ready, and brought the blade down on the beast's thick, fleshy neck.

The Murasame sliced through Jenova's neck, tearing her head from her body. Seconds after Jenova's headless body slammed onto the floor, completely vulnerable on her back. Cloud ran across to where he thought her heart would be, and stabbed down. The body convulsed, then fell still. She was defeated.

Cloud stepped off Jenova's body just as it began to dissolve and melt away. The flesh turned into black and red liquid and seeped into the cracks that covered the end of the podium. The giant chunks of shoulder mass on either side of the podium broke melted and dripped over the sides, landing in the water with a hiss. The last to disappear was Jenova's head, which looked up at Cloud through menacing red eyes. Even as the head began to dissolve, Cloud heard a woman's cold, ominous voice speak softly inside his head.

_"Because you are…… a puppet."_

"I'm…… a puppet?"

* * *

_ Nagaku tsuzuku kono michi no mukou ni _

_Shinjarareru mono ga kitto aru_

* * *

The voice did not answer. Cloud was about to call out and demand an answer, but Jenova's head had completely dissolved. Angrily Cloud turned, but stopped as he saw that everyone had gathered around the body of Aeris as she lay propped against the railing. The Ancient's head had slipped forward and her long hair had fallen over her face. Tifa knelt beside her. Everyone was silent, unsure of what to say or do. 

Yuffie was the first to approach Aeris. She stood next to the Ancient and held her hands together over her heart, lowering her head in the respect and reverence that was Wutai tradition for a fallen warrior.

Her prayer over, she turned away and walked over to Cloud. She looked up at him, her brown eyes filling with tears. Suddenly she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder, shaking her head and crying loudly. Cloud held her gently until the tears slowed and Yuffie stepped back, rubbing her eyes and taking deep breaths to compose herself. She failed and ran from the podium, choking back her tears.

* * *

_ Straight on this long, continuing road _

_There is surely something to believe in_

* * *

Cloud watched the ninja run, then looked down as he saw Red XIII walking slowly past him. The hound was silent, although Cloud could see that the fur around his eyes was wet. Red XIII looked back at Aeris's sleeping face one last time before jumping onto the pillars. Cid followed suit, also sharing one last glance before walking away. 

Cait, in shock, could not say anything. He jumped up wildly, the arms of his Mog flailing about in anger. Eventually the cat stopped and sagged, his head drooping over the controls. When he walked away it was in slow, shuffling steps, pausing to glance at Cloud before leaving.

A tall shadow fell over Cloud, who looked up to see Barret towering over him. The ex-AVALANCHE leader had his gun-arm raised, ready to bring it down on Cloud's head. But then he looked back at Aeris and, feeling suddenly guilty, lowered his arm. Without looking at Cloud, he walked away. Vincent followed him, glancing at Cloud as he passed. Whether it was a cold or sympathetic look, Cloud could not be sure.

* * *

_Like a traveller in the midst of the wind_

_I have my eyes on the northern sky_

* * *

Tifa still knelt beside Aeris. Cloud could not see his childhood friend's face through the long lengths of her dark hair, but he could guess that she was struggling to hold back the tears. Her hands were clenched and shaking, and as Cloud watched he was sure he saw a drop of water fall on them from Tifa's face. 

Tifa raised her head and looked up at Aeris. There was not a single drop of blood on her—only the thin line through her clothes where Sephiroth's sword had pierced her. Tifa ran her hand tenderly across Aeris's face, moving the strands of brown hair that had fallen there. Tears filled her eyes. She stood up, closed her eyes for a moment in silent prayer, and then turned and fled the podium.

Cloud was the last to leave the podium. When the others had all left the Forgotten City, he walked over to Aeris and knelt down quietly beside her.

He was afraid to touch her at first, for his hands felt dirty and stained. And indeed they were—Jenova's blood covered his palms. But they felt dirty on another level. There was blood on his palms that could never be washed off. Aeris's blood. Although he had not dealt the stroke that killed her, he felt as though he had done. He had stood by idly as Sephiroth impaled her with his sword, not making a move to save her until she fell dead in his arms. He stood by and did nothing. He let her die.

* * *

_The passionate feelings that were beginning to vanish_

_Once again sway radiance in my chest_

* * *

Shaking his head, Cloud reached out to her. He flinched as he touched her, removing the materia she had equipped in her wristbands and staff. He swallowed his fear and took hold of her, lifting her up in his arms. Aeris's head fell back as he lifted her up from the floor. She was so light, even in death. 

He took Aeris's body out of the Forgotten City, climbing the blue steps in silence. He left the house and stepped out into the forest that surrounded it, with the pool in the centre. Tifa and the others were gathered around the entrance of the house. Tifa looked away as she saw Aeris's limp body in Cloud's arms. Yuffie was kneeling on the floor a few feet away, with Cid keeping a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Cloud refused to look at his companions as he walked past. They watched him in silence, with mixed expressions of sadness and anger on their faces. Cloud walked around the edge of the pool until he came to a spot where the ground sloped into the water. Cloud took a deep breath and stepped into the water.

Cloud paused as he entered the water. It lapped around his ankles, cool but not cold, even in the chill night air. Cloud took another breath and began to walk forward toward the centre of the pool. The water rose with each step, from his calves to his thighs, from his hips and to his waist. He finally stopped in the middle of the pool, at the edge of a deep, watery pit.

* * *

_ I don't want the tears to spill _

_As so not to lose to my weaker self_

* * *

Slowly Cloud lowered Aeris into the water. He released her and stepped back, feeling a twinge of pain as he watched Aeris's float upon the surface before beginning to sink into the water. He watched as the water rose above her clothes and across her neck. Then the water slipped over her face. 

The water took her down, and as she fell Aeris's hair fell completely free of its braid and flowed out around her shoulders and back. Her hands unfolded from her chest and flew loosely around her sides. She floated deeper and deeper until the darkness of the water claimed her, carrying her from sight.

And as Aeris disappeared into the water, the memory of Cait's past prediction echoed in Cloud's mind.

_"What you seek will be yours, but you will lose something dear."_

* * *

"Everyone, listen to me," said Cloud suddenly. 

Each person in the room turned to look at Cloud. They were back at the house in which they had slept, returning there after Aeris had been buried in the waters of the pool. They had stood in the dark silence for a while, thinking of Aeris, until Cloud had spoken and caught their attention.

Cloud turned to face those around him. "I'm Cloud, ex-SOLDIER, born in Nibelheim. I came to settle up with Sephiroth."

"…Hmm?" said Red XIII. His wound had almost completely closed up after Tifa had applied more potions to his chest—a way to divert her mind from the loss of Aeris.

* * *

_ In eyes holding only an unadorned spirit _

_There are great, unseen wings_

* * *

"I came here by my own free will… Or so I thought," he added bitterly, looking at the ground, Jenova's words echoing in his head. "However… To tell the truth, I'm afraid of myself." He turned away from his friends and looked up at the ceiling. "…There is a part of me that I don't understand. That part of me made me give the Black Materia to Sephiroth. If you hadn't stopped me, Aeris might have been…" 

Cloud stopped short and bit his lip as he realised what he had just been about to say. He took a breath before continuing. "…There's something inside of me. A person who is not really me." He turned back to them. "That's why I should quit this journey. Before I do something terrible."

"But I am going, he said firmly before anyone could interrupt. He clenched his fist tightly and shook his head. "He destroyed my hometown five years ago, killed Aeris, and is now trying to destroy the Planet. I'll never forgive… Sephiroth." He half-choked on the name. "I… I must go on… I have a favour to ask all of you." Looking around at the others, he asked, "Will you all come with me? To save me from doing something terrible?"

* * *

_ I open my arms while singing _

_To embrace the perpetuity of time_

_To be tied to life_

* * *

"…I dunno, man…" Barret said hesitantly, folding his arms. Aeris's death had caused him to rethink his position about continuing this journey himself. It seemed to be a completely different game now that one of their group had been killed. Someone they had fought alongside of, ate with, and laughed with. He had seen Cloud nearly strike her and pull back at the last second, and that scared him. He wasn't so sure he could stop Cloud if he did something like that again. 

Cid stepped forward and gave Cloud a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Well, we'll face it when it happens," the pilot assured him.

Looking around, Cloud saw the others gradually nod their approval. Although he did not say it, he was grateful they had decided to come with him. The way his self-confidence was feeling right now, he wasn't sure he could make it by himself.

"I don't know how Aeris tried to save the Planet from Meteor," he said. "And I guess now, we'll never know. But! We still have a chance. We must get that Black Materia back before Sephiroth uses it. Let's go."

The others all nodded and gathered around him, those who were sat on the floor like Yuffie and Red XIII jumping up with renewed energy. Now was not the time to be sad. Whatever Aeris had planned they would never know. But they would make sure her efforts were not in vain and continue the task that she herself had started: to bring an end to Sephiroth's plan.

* * *

_ Straight on this long, continuing road_

_There is surely something to believe in_

* * *

The eight companions left the house and stepped out onto the street. It was still dark, but somewhere on the distant horizon the sun began to rise. Just as the shadows fell over the canyon the day before, now the light began to rise, pushing back the shadows on the dawn of a new day. 

The clouds had cleared and the path was visible before them. The eight friends came to a stop on the path and looked around.

"Sephiroth…" said Tifa softly, though her voice hardened as she said their adversary's name. "I wonder which way he went?"

Everyone looked around. One by one their gazes turned to Cloud, who stood a little ways down the path, looking to the rising cliffs to the north. Cloud was holding his head in his hands as a painful ringing noise throbbed in his ears. In his mind's eye Sephiroth walked down that very path, sword in hand, toward the cliffs. "…Ugh," he groaned.

"Wait! Get a hold of yourself!" said Yuffie sharply.

Cloud shook his head and opened his eyes. Sephiroth was gone. But the memory was still there. The path had been given to him.

"Hmm… Sephiroth said to me… Head North…… ……Past the Snow Fields……"

* * *

**End of Part Eight**

**Part Nine: The Birth of Weapon**


	35. Part 09: Chapter 35

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Part Nine: The Birth of Weapon**

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

Four days after leaving the Forgotten City, Cloud and his friends finally arrived at the remote ice village known as Icicle Inn. The journey ended up being twice as long as it needed to be, thanks to the abrupt appearance of snow as they left the Coral Valley and entered the Snow Fields. Blistering cold winds and almost thigh-high drifts of snow had slowed them considerably. Frequently they had to stop and warm themselves up, else they would have frozen and died in the bitter cold.

The Icicle Inn was built at the peak of a long, snowy slope in the middle of the Snow Fields. The village began its life many years ago as a single inn, built for travellers who were heading further north for expeditions into the Great Glacier and the unknown mountains beyond. Over time travellers who gave up their trek settled down in the icy plain and built homes around the inn, turning it into a village.

Cloud and his friends were filled with relief as they entered the village. They spotted the inn almost immediately—nestled between a small house and a large house on the east side of the village. Most of the group headed straight there, except for Cloud, who went to the weapon store on the west side to exchange his Murasame for another new sword. Under no circumstances did he wish to handle any weapon that even vaguely resembled the sword that killed Aeris.

It was strange travelling without her, Cloud thought as he purchased the new sword, Organics. Strange… and empty. Every time someone complained about the cold, he expected to hear Aeris's voice slip through the blustery winds and calm them all down. When the Bandersnatch wolves attacked in the Snow Fields, Cloud imagined her fighting beside them. She still had that determined look in her eyes as she fought with her staff, glancing back once in a while to show that she was okay.

But she was not there. He would not see Aeris's cheerful smile anymore. That smile was forever lost to the dark depths of the water. And it was all because of Sephiroth!

No, Cloud said silently. Sephiroth was not entirely to blame. The fault was mostly his own. He let Aeris die. He should have sensed Sephiroth's presence nearby—sensed the danger that was coming. Instead he just stood and watched as Sephiroth fell from the heavens and ran her through, ending her life. Watched as she was so senselessly killed.

The image of Aeris's eyes, wide in shock and fear as she the masamune coming out of her waist would never leave his memory. Nor the way her eyes slowly closed as she fell into death. Cloud wondered. Was she in the Lifestream now?

The others were waiting in the inn when Cloud arrived. They all huddled around the large fire near the entrance, absorbing its warmth. Seeing the fire made Cloud shudder with cold. The bright red and orange flames were black to his eyes. No warmth touched his skin. The fire was as cold as the snow outside.

Seeing Cloud arrive, the others reluctantly pulled themselves away from the fire. The purchasing of the new sword and an unfortunate accident during the fight against the Bandersnatches the day before had left them a little short on funds—they could not afford to stay at the inn this day. Still Yuffie glanced back at the fire a few seconds longer, a hopeful gaze in her eyes, before she finally dragged herself out the door and back into the cold.

The village's only exit lay to the north at the top of a slope leading into the northern mountains. A man stood guard at the top of the slope, walking briskly back and forth to keep warm. He looked up as Cloud and the gang approached, wondering what they were up to. When he saw them begin to walk past and head into the snow, he ran over and stopped them.

"No, don't!" he shouted, his voice muffled through the thick woolly scarf around his neck. "It's a steep downgrade, past here. It's dangerous, please don't go!"

Cloud stopped in his tracks and glared at the man. "I'm still going!" he snapped, the cold wind making his temper short.

The man flinched. "Damn, I was just being nice…" he said, somewhat disgruntled by the harsh response. Taking a step back, he looked over Cloud's shoulder toward the village entrance. "What the? Who are those people over there? Looks like trouble!"

As the man spun and dived into the trees for safety, Cloud and the others turned to face the entrance as a number of figures approached the village. Shinra soldiers, clad in their blue and silver uniforms, marched through the snow toward the village. At the head of the company was Elena, her blue suit dark and damp with the snow. Her short blonde hair was clammy and strewn across her pale face and red cheeks.

Elena entered the village first. She sighed in relief as she saw the warm glow of fires coming from the houses. The look of relief turned to one of surprise as she saw the group standing in the middle of the village, watching her. Turning to face her soldiers, she shouted "There they are, hurry!!" in her most commanding voice.

"Yes, ma'am!!"

The soldiers stuck close to Elena as she ran toward Cloud. Cloud and the group made no attempt to run out of the way—there were only a small handful of soldiers after all, and although Elena was a member of the Turks, they did not see her as a major threat. When Elena finally stopped she put her hands on her wet knees and panted heavily, out of breath even after a short run.

"Cloud… huff… wheeze…" she breathed, her voice hoarse from the cold, "I won't let you go any further!"

Cloud shrugged. Not for the first time he wondered how Elena had managed to get into a group such as the Turks, for all the use she was. Brash, impulsive, foolish… she did not show any of the skills that Rude and Reno had. Did Elena even have any skills? Turning away from her, Cloud pointed toward the slope.

"What's down there?" he asked.

Elena pushed herself up and looked at Cloud with a haughty smile. "It's a SE-CR-ET," she said smugly. She truly revelled in the fact that she knew something that Cloud and his friends didn't. Waving her hand dismissively, she continued, "It really doesn't matter! But you really got guts doin' my boss in like that!"

It took Cloud a few seconds to realise who she meant. "You mean Boss…… Tseng?" Memories of the Temple of the Ancients flooded into his mind. The Turk Boss, Tseng, whom Elena greatly admired and looked up to, lay injured at the entrance of the Temple after Sephiroth attacked him. Why did Elena think…? "That wasn't us," Cloud interjected hurriedly. "Sephiroth did it."

"No!" Elena barked, shaking her head. Her fists were clenched, knuckles snow white, and she spoke through gritted teeth. "Don't think you can fool me, liar!"

"I'm not lying…" Cloud said with a sigh. "It was Sephiroth."

"Don't try to act innocent. I'll never forget it!!"

Elena was shouting now, her body shaking with rage. Her eyes looked at Cloud with sheer fury. Her anger made her warm, and all that anger was directed solely on Cloud. She had found Tseng unconscious in the Temple's entrance, a bloodstained bandage around a gaping wound. Though Tseng was now recovering safely back at Shinra HQ, she vowed she would get revenge on the ones who caused him to suffer so. Elena had firmly convinced herself that Cloud, or someone in his party, had dealt Tseng that stroke that almost killed him. There would be no dissuading her.

Realising that Elena would not back down, Cloud sighed again. "Oh, man…" he groaned. Elena crossed her arms and tapped her foot thoughtfully in the snow.

"Looks like talking alone won't cut it," she said. Nodding to herself as she made up her mind, she clenched the fists once more and raised them in a clumsy martial fighting stance. "You're going to have feel some pain!"

One of the soldiers behind her stepped forward. "Just you… and me!!"

"No," Elena interrupted, thrusting out one hand to block the soldier, "I can handle him!" She locked gazes with Cloud. "There's no way he can avoid my punch."

The soldier looked at her dubiously. "What? Yeah…" Though his face was invisible, Cloud got the impression that he was inwardly laughing at her. After sharing a mocking glance with his fellow soldiers he stepped back, giving Elena leeway to punch Cloud. Elena smirked and raised her fists.

Cloud watched as the young Turk prepared to strike. Though he was no martial artist like Tifa, even he could see which direction the woman was preparing to strike from. Her weight was heavily pressed on her right foot, which was behind her. Her right fist was slowly being pulled back, and a flicker from her eyes told him instantly that she was planning a frontal attack on his face.

Cloud waited until the moment when Elena shifted her weight onto her left foot before acting. Just as Elena's fist came swinging forward, Cloud hurriedly dodged to the side, sliding smoothly out of the way. In her inexperience Elena had placed too much weight on her back foot and could not stop herself as Cloud dodged out of the way. Her thinly soled boots slid on the snow and she jerked forward.

Elena waved her arms frantically, fighting to keep from falling over. She tried to reach for Cid, who was nearest to her, but he stepped aside. She lost the fight for balance and tumbled over into the snow. Falling head over heels, she was caught by the gradual decline of the hill and began to roll. She continued to roll over and over until finally she disappeared over the edge of the slope leading out of the village.

The soldiers, bewildered, continued to stare even after Elena had disappeared. "Ele… Elena!?" one soldier finally cried, and the company charged right past Cloud and his group and vanished into the trees, chasing after their tumbling commander.

With Elena gone, Cloud considered what they had to do next. Though Elena had been guarded with her information, she had involuntarily let slip the fact that they were heading in the right direction. The Great Glacier… that was surely where Sephiroth and Shinra were headed. Why, he did not know, or care. All that mattered was finding Sephiroth and ending it once and for all. For Nibelheim. And for Aeris.

First there were a few preparations to make. As the man guarding the slope had so rightly warned them: it was a steep decline into the mountains. With any luck Elena's soldiers would catch her before she fell too far. But down that slope was their only route. They had to get down somehow.

A young boy in the village found a way to solve this problem. The boy had recently bought a snowboard, but lost interest in the hobby after injuring his knee riding down one of the small slopes in the village. He was thankful to get rid of the board, along with his fretful mother, who threw in the goggles as an extra thank you.

The others found their own solutions to the travelling dilemma. Barret, after promptly refusing to ride a snowboard of any kind, settled with a middle-sized sledge he found propped against the weapon shop. The girl inside the store told him it belonged to her grandfather, who was too old to sledge now, and as she had no interest in sledging she gave it too him. It was a little too small for his bulky frame, but after some manoeuvring he managed to get into a sitting position.

Cid and Vincent, after some searching, found some more snowboards that were willing to be given away. Tifa and Vincent claimed those. Yuffie 'borrowed' a pair of skis from the large house on the east side, as well as producing a map of the Great Glacier, which she also 'borrowed'. Cid found another sledge, which he shared with Cait Sith after a debate over whether the stuffed Mog body should be left behind.

The debate was settled after Barret called the Mog 'useless baggage', which provoked Cait to hurl his megaphone in Barret's direction and then force himself on Cid's sledge. Red XIII, reluctant to ride on any contraption, eventually settled himself awkwardly on Barret's sledge, his back paws dug into the wood and his front clinging to Barret's back. The hound refused to slacken his grip even as Barret yelled in pain.

When everything had been obtained the group gathered at the top of the slope. The man who had been guarding the slope had returned from his hiding place among the trees and was watching them prepare for their departure with a sheepish expression on his face. Once he offered to help them prepare, but was politely turned down.

Cloud bent over and checked the straps that were fastened around his front foot. The straps, designed to fit larger snow boots, left quite a gap under his smaller ones. It took some amount of readjusting to get the straps to fit over them, and even then Cloud felt they were a little slack. He couldn't remember the last time he'd snowboarded. Probably back in Nibelheim, when he was a child, when winter's snow fell over the hills around the town.

When he was sure the straps were tight enough, Cloud stood up and looked around at his friends. Red XIII still clung to Barret's back, his sharp claws digging into the big man's skin and lightly tearing at his shirt. Cid was trying to ignore Cait and Yuffie's excited babble. Vincent was silent, as usual.

"Ready?" Cloud said to Tifa.

Tifa nodded nervously. She was wearing Cid's jacket and gloves, which he had offered as protection from the bitter cold. The twenty-year-old fighter looked very peculiar in the air jacket, her slender frame dwarfed by the bulky leather. During the last few minutes she and Yuffie had swapped items, with Tifa now grasping the handles of the skies with an anxious look in her eyes. She had never skied nor boarded, but she felt a little safer on skis.

"I'm ready," she replied, trying to hide the tremor in her voice. She turned the skis hesitantly to face the slope. The steep decline loomed before her. She swallowed nervously. It was a long way down. Even so, she just gripped the skis tighter and frowned, refusing to let her fear overcome her.

Cloud smiled faintly. It was just like Tifa to be brave when she was faced with the unknown. Thinking of that very nearly recalled a distant memory from their childhood, but it slipped just out of Cloud's reach before he could grasp it. Whatever. It wasn't important anyway. Besides, they had more important things to do. Like catching up with Sephiroth.

Cloud turned back to the slope. Pulling the snow goggles over his eyes, he cautiously slid forward, his back foot pushing the board forward. He stopped at the tip of the slope and looked down, his heart almost catching in his throat. The slopewas steep, though not as steep as he had first expected. There were flagged checkpoints marking the path down, but they would not matter once they started moving.

"Be careful!" the man behind them called, just as Cloud pushed himself away from the edge. The board tipped over and in a second Cloud vanished from view.

The wind was the first thing to hit Cloud as he began to slide down the slope. The arctic air hit him like a slap across the face, only this was all over his body. Within seconds his arms and face were stinging as the wind and harsh flakes of snow stabbed into his skin. It hit him so hard and so suddenly that Cloud almost fell back off his board. At the last moment when he would have fallen backward into the snow Cloud leaned forward, pushing his bodyweight forward to keep him balanced and moving forward.

Before him the slope was a sea of white. The sky, the ground, everything was white to his vision. He could only just discern the ground from the sky, and could only just see the brightly coloured flags that guided his path. Bright bullets of red, blue, yellow and green zipped on either side of his vision, barely visible. Hurriedly Cloud leaned back a little on his board, trying to slow his descent. It helped, but not by much.

The first turn appeared before Cloud knew it was coming. He suddenly saw the blue and red blurs turn sharply to the right, and Cloud only just shifted his weight to the right in time. The board delved into the snow as it turned steadily, only just missing the rocky grey-white wall of a cliff. The wall of rock appeared in Cloud's vision so abruptly that he cried out, although his voice was lost to the snow and wind.

Opening his mouth to yell was a big mistake. The cold air flew into his throat and lungs, startling his senses so much that he coughed. The involuntary movement caused his body to shudder, and thus made the board jerk and shift to one side. A sharp stab of pain hit Cloud's right elbow. Swiftly Cloud leaned to his left and pulled away from the cliff wall. A trickle of something warm slid down his arm.

A blur of colour zipped past him, and Cloud saw Yuffie's blurred form suddenly glide past him. The young ninja was having the time of her life, gliding down the slope with ease and leaning forward to gain extra speed. She cried out in joy as she passed Cloud, cheering how she was in the lead. Cloud did not hear her words—the sound of the wind rushing past his ears drowned out any perceptible words she may have been shouting.

"Yahoo!" Yuffie shouted as she sailed forward. "This race is mine!"

Yuffie leaned forward some more, and the board sped up. She knew this was not a race, but she was so caught up in the thrill of snowboarding that she forgot what they were supposed to be doing. She moved almost expertly down the hill, tilting her body against the rushing wind and feeling it scrape across her skin as she took turn after turn in her stride. She left Cloud and the others far behind her, lost in her race.

"Yuffie!" called Cloud. The ninja could no longer hear him, however, and she disappeared beyond one of the Y-turns. Cursing under his breath, Cloud tried to tilt his board toward the left turn. He turned too late and had to swerve back to the right to avoid hitting the cliff face. He sailed down the right path, separated from Yuffie.

Behind him the others were having similar problems. The sudden Y-turn caught them off guard, and each turned different ways to avoid the collision. Barret and Red XIII swerved to the right, along with Cid and Cait. Tifa, closest to Cloud, turned to the right to keep Cloud in sight. Vincent followed her, making his mind and turning right at the last second.

Warily Cloud risked a glance backward to the slope behind him. Through the hurtling snow he saw Tifa and Vincent behind him. He could not see the others, which meant they had turned left instead of right. Cloud cursed again and focused his attention back on the path in front of him.

The slope was levelling out, though Cloud had no time to be thankful. The path opened up into an open plain filled with sudden rising slopes designed for jumping. The first jump Cloud could not avoid, and before he knew it he was ten feet in the air, the ground zipping past beneath him. He braced himself for the landing, tilting his board slightly backward to slow his descent.

The snowboard hit the snow with a thud, sending a painful shockwave up his right arm, which was going numb. Cloud wobbled from side to side, spreading his arms to keep from falling over. The wind pressed against his arms and still Cloud struggled to keep his balance. Somehow he managed it, just in time to avoid the next jump.

Tifa, still close behind Cloud, was finally getting used to the feel of skiing. On the slender skis she had first fought to stay upright, especially at the first turn where she tilted too far and almost fell over into the snow. Now she had gained most of her momentum she tucked the handles under her arms and was gliding forward with ease, her knees slightly bent and head forward to face the wind.

She was feeling so courageous now that she decided to try one of the jumps. Swerving to the left, she headed up one of the middle-sized slopes. When she leapt off the edge, she kept her feet together and kept the skis at a secure angle, arms fixed by her sides as she glided through the air. When she landed, she landed with ease, her skis landing almost smoothly back into the snow.

Elsewhere on the mountain slope, Yuffie was continuing to have the time of her life. She had left the snowy slope now and was boarding rapidly through a tunnel made entirely of ice. She cheered loudly as she sailed across the icy floor, her voice echoing off the rugged ice walls.

Somewhere behind her, the parties on the sledges were having a difficult time directing themselves through the mountain slope. More than once they grazed the cliff walls, and more than once Red XIII howled in fright and clung to Barret's back, making him almost lost his grip on the sledge. Cid and Cait eventually took the lead, with Cait shouting back directions through his megaphone.

By the time Cloud reached the end of the slope, he had no idea where he was or what was happening. He felt as though he had been snowboarding forever. His skin was so cold he could barely feel his fingers, and he could not feel his right arm at all.

At the foot of the slope, the path became thin and sloped suddenly upward, heading up into the air above a long drop. It was one of many drops, each ending in different places across the mountainside. Cloud spotted the jump at the last second, and braced himself for the jump.

The board reached the edge and sloped upwards, sliding off the edge and sending Cloud up into the air. Cloud looked down through his snow-covered goggles and was startled to see the height of the drop beneath him. Directly beneath him was a large clump of trees, surrounded by snow.

Cloud hit the top of the trees first, his board skimming across the tip of the canopy. He sailed past the tree and dipped beneath the leaves, landing on the ground with a thump. The force of the landing caused him to finally lose his balance and he toppled backward, nearly catching his ankle underneath the edge of the flailing board.

Turning onto his side, Cloud skidded and rolled across the snow. He could not see anything as he rolled over and over apart from flashes of white and brown, which meant nothing to him. He was eventually stopped when he slammed into the side of a cliff, forcing the air from his body and making something crack and snap loudly.

For a few minutes Cloud did not move, lying half-buried in a drift of snow piled up against the cliff. Cloud rolled onto his back. His body ached all over from the landing, though thankfully the cold numbed his body enough that he did not feel the pain much. The snowboard lay broken at his feet, cracked clean in half during the crash. Cloud looked up at the sky in silence, breathing deeply.

When he caught his breath Cloud slowly sat up, reaching down to unclip the broken snowboard. Once the board was off he stood, groaning as his body ached. The cold hadn't numbed him totally. Near to where he landed, Tifa and Vincent were also climbing to their feet, covered in snow but appearing otherwise unharmed.

"Ugh…" Cloud moaned. He staggered away from the cliff wall, brushing the snow from his arms and clothes. "I guess we're still in one piece. Everyone all right?"

"Yeah, somehow," Tifa replied. Her skis lay in a shattered heap by one of the trees, Tifa having unclipped them seconds before she crashed into the trees.

"So where did we land?" Cloud asked, looking around at their surroundings. They appeared to be at the edge of a small forest. There was no path as such, other than one made from natural grooves in the ground where the falling snow dipped slightly. Cloud could see more patches of snow beyond the forest. Looking above, he could not see the slop they had jumped from. "Looks like we've jumped pretty far…" he surmised, shielding his eyes from the glaring sun.

"Oh yeah, we got the map right?" asked Tifa. "Let's look at the map."

Cloud nodded and pulled out the map, which he had liberated from Yuffie's possession before setting off, an act for which he was thankful for now. When he pulled it out he rubbed his arms vigorously. The air was colder down here.

"It sure is cold," he said. "We'll freeze if we stay here any longer."

Tifa and Vincent nodded. Even in Cid's jacket, Tifa could feel the cold nibbling at her skin. Vincent's face was impassive, though even he must be feeling the awful cold. Cloud opened up the map and looked down before beginning to lead the way through the forest and, hopefully, to somewhere warmer than where they were now.

The three did not get very far before the cold became too much for them. Soon after they left the sheltered forest and stepped out into the windy open plains of ice and snow the temperature decreased rapidly.

Tifa was the first one to fall victim to the cutting cold. They were halfway across the first icy plain when she suddenly collapsed, falling onto the hard ice floor. Cloud tried hard to rouse her, shaking her and rubbing her face and legs to warm them up. But Tifa would not wake. Eventually Vincent wrapped his cloak around her for extra warmth and lifted her up, carrying her across his back through the snow.

Cloud was the next to fall. His injured arm, covered in dried, frozen blood, slowed him considerably. He and Vincent had just crossed a large pool of heated water when a sudden wave of dizziness and nausea overcame him. His vision faltered and he staggered with each step. The next thing he knew the ground was rushing up toward him and he could see Vincent's feet running toward him.

Then his vision went black.

* * *

**Emerald:** Okay, so I won't finish this instalment by New Years. T.T I'm sorry, but writer's block returned for a two-week period. But I got this chapter finished at least. I can't remember much of the path of Gaea's Cliff, so I'm using a basic walkthrough and some originality to fill that bit. At the moment my playable file is at Cosmo Canyon, and I haven't touched that since I got KH2. Speaking of games… I got Dirge of Cerberus for Christmas! And I completed it already! Although, heh, that's on the Normal level… What, I'm not playing it on hard! T.T 


	36. Part 09: Chapter 36

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Cloud finally awoke to the invigorating scent of hot coffee and ginger biscuits. A bright ray of light streamed in through a small window, landing right in his eyes. Grimacing, he raised a hand to shield his eyes. His right arm throbbed painfully as he lifted it, causing him to let it fall and suffer the dazzling sunlight.

When he finally gathered his senses, he realised that he was not in the Snow Fields anymore. It was not a patch of cold, hard ice he was lying on, but rather a thin sheet of cloth sprawled out on a wooden floor. Thrown across him was a heavy blanket of wolf's fur, no doubt taken from a Bandersnatch. The underside of the blanket made his arms itch, but its weight and furry texture had done the task in warming his frozen body up. But how did he get here? And where were the others?

Cloud sat up, his body protesting at the unwelcome movement. His right arm was stiff and could barely move. When Cloud looked down he saw that his elbow had been wrapped in a thick bandage to stop the bleeding. As Cloud stood up another ray of sunlight hit his eyes and he groaned. It was like having a hangover!

"You awake?"

Cloud looked up as a middle-aged man entered the room via a set of stairs close to where he had been sleeping. The man had been looking at Gaea's Cliff through a frosty window when he heard Cloud awaken. In the man's hands were a mug of hot coffee and the spicy ginger biscuits Cloud had smelled upon waking.

The man reached the bottom of the stairs and walked over to Cloud, looking the young man over as though to check he was fully warmed through. "You collapsed at the Great Glacier," he explained briefly. "It's a miracle you're all right. My name is Holzoff. I've been living here 20 years now. If you are planning to head North, you'd better listen to my story." Taking a sip of his coffee, he gestured to a door behind Cloud. "Why don't we go into the next room and sit down?"

Before Cloud could stop him, Holzoff walked past Cloud and went through the open door. Cloud stared after him in bewilderment. He'd never even had a chance to ask about the others. Suddenly he heard Cait's voice, loud and piercing, from the next room, followed by Barret's hearty laugh. Cloud sighed in relief. They were all okay.

* * *

"You ever hear about those who challenged the cliff?" Holzoff asked once everyone had settled in the living room. Mugs of coffee and ginger biscuits had been handed out to everyone who could have them. Now they all in front of Holzoff, waiting to hear his tale.

Cloud glanced around at the others before answering. "No," he said. He winced as Tifa undid the bandage around his arm and began to apply some Potion liquid to the wound. The collision with the cliff wall had opened the graze up into a long, bleeding gash down the back of his arm. The cold air had frozen the blood and stopped the bleeding, but now the wound began to close and heal as Tifa rubbed the liquid on.

"There's an old legend that something fell from the sky here a long time ago," began Holzoff. "That's what's supposed to have pushed the land up and formed this cliff. 30 years ago, Yamski and I took this cliff on to see what was on the other side. But we weren't prepared for it. We did expect the temperature to be low, but… On that cliff, there's always a biting cold wind. The cold air lowers your body temperature.

"Yamski was below me. He cut his own rope… …And I didn't even notice…" Holzoff paused for a moment in remembrance of his friend, and took a sip of his coffee. The group waited until he could continue. "Ever since then, I've settled here… continuing to challenge this cliff, and provide warning and shelter to my fellow climbers."

Now Holzoff looked around at the group of eight before him, a very serious look in his slowly aging eyes. "If you're going to climb the cliff," he told them sternly, "there's two precautions you'll need to take. First, check your route… It's hard to find because of all the snow. Second, once you get to a ledge, make sure you warm yourselves up. Understand?" He fixed his gaze on Cloud.

"Yes," said Cloud. He'd had a taste of the cold air of the Great Glacier. Up Gaea's Cliff it was going to get colder. They needed to be as prepared as they could get. After gulping down the rest of his coffee and checking his now almost-healed arm, he nodded to the others. His friends finished their drinks and stood, preparing to leave.

Holzoff watched them get ready. "You must've used up a lot of energy getting up here…" he observed. "Better get some rest before you head out." There was an almost wistful look in his eyes, remembering the strength he had had in his youth.

The companions said their thanks to Holzoff, who in turn apologised that he was not able to lend them any of his old equipment. His ropes were frayed now, he said, and his cloaks were tattered and useless against the cold wind. Besides, he had added with a chuckle, he only had enough for one person, not eight. The companions had laughed with him before leaving the man's house and stepping back into the snow.

The wind had not died down since they were last in the snow. In fact it had increased into an even bitterer chill. The warmth of Holzoff's fire and coffee fled them in an instant and they began to shiver once more. The eight friends huddled together in the wind, their gazes turned to the mountain before him.

Gaea's Cliff loomed before them. The tallest mountain on the planet, very few had managed to climb it all the way to the top. Those who did rarely returned, and those who did had often gone mad with the cold. Holzoff was wise in the way he warned them—the wind was bitter even here. Tifa hugged her chest and hopped from foot to foot, trying to keep warm. The only one not bothered (much) by the cold was Cait Sith, though some instinctive reaction made him want to shiver, too.

"You know, I've been thinkin'…" said Barret suddenly.

Cloud gave him a sideward glance. "What is it?"

Barret jumped slightly. "…Seein' a place like this, makes you realise how awesome nature is," he said. "But, if anyone told me to live here, I'd tell them to… you know…" He scratched his head. "I tell you one thing, though," he continued, "if I did have to live here, I'd change things round 'n' make it better. I guess the total opposite of this would be…… Midgar. When you think of it that way, Shinra don't seem so bad…" Barret stared for a moment before throwing his hands into the air and waving them madly. "Uuuuuurrrrrgh!! What the hell am I sayin'!? The Shinra, not bad!?"

Yuffie giggled. Cloud shook his head and sighed. They were wasting time. He signalled to Cid and Vincent, and the three of them stepped forward from the rest of the group. "We'll secure the route," said Cloud to the others. "You come up later."

Cid turned away and looked up at the mountain. The peak of Gaea's Cliff was clearly visible beneath the afternoon sky. All the way from the bottom, it looked like a long way up. Which it was. "Damn!" Cid breathed, absently scratching the strap of his goggles. "If I could just get back in the air, this cliff would be nothing!"

Cloud said nothing. There was no need to tell Cid that even if he could get in the air, the chances were his plane would not fly in such cold weather. Only a powerful airship designed to fly in all weathers could make it in such extreme temperatures. Though secretly he wished they could just fly up, as well.

He was broken from his thoughts when a small, furry hand patted his arm. He turned to find Cait behind him. The cat was playing with the end of his red cloak. He was also looking around nervously, as though he was afraid of being watched.

"This is secret info, but…" the cat said. "Rufus's going to arrive here, too."

Cloud nodded. This was a good thing. Now they could get rid of all their problems at once. Cloud looked to Cid and Vincent, who were a waiting a little ways up the path that led to the base of Gaea's Cliff. Turning back briefly, he waved to the others before running to catch up with them.

* * *

"Goddamn, it's cold!" Cid complained. "I'd give anythin' for another mug of that guy's coffee. Or Shera's, for that matter. Even if it is as weak as water." He rubbed his bare arms vigorously. "I wouldn't give my Tiny Bronco, though," he added as an afterthought. "I wouldn't give my baby for anything." He looked up the cliff. "Y'all still owe me a new plane, ya hear me?"

The air pilot stood on the ledge eight feet below Cloud and Vincent, stopping just for a minute to warm himself up before continuing the climb. He seriously missed his jacket and gloves now.

On the ledge above him, Cloud stopped rubbing his shoulders and gazed down the side of the cliff. "You're bringing that up _now_?" he asked. Another cold wind blew and Cloud grasped his shoulders, his body shivering.

Holzoff had not been joking when he said the wind blowing around the cliff was a biting one. The three had been surprised by the iciness of it and had to keep moving to prevent them from freezing to the spot.

Trying to ignore the biting wind, Cloud looked over the side of the cliff again. They had travelled pretty far up the cliff, already the trees at the bottom were beginning to look small. He could see Tifa and the others, too, gathered at the bottom of the cliff and looking up at them.

"I'm just sayin'," said Cid. He jumped slightly from foot to foot to restore the circulation to his legs. "Once this is all over and done with… When we've defeated Sephiroth and sent his sorry ass back into hell or the Lifestream or wherever the hell it's from… you guys all owe me a new plane. And not a cheap one, mind you!"

When he could feel his toes again he stepped up to the cliff and grabbed the rocky wall. The snow-covered rock was as cold as ice, and inwardly Cid half betted that it _was_ ice in disguise. He pressed his boot against the edge of the rock and pushed himself up, beginning to climb up toward the next ledge.

"I want a real nice one," Cid continued as he ascended the wall. "A big one too, with an engine big enough to hold an army, if need be. And by the wheel, my own fridge to hold my beer. There's nothin' beats a cold, frosty one on a hot—"

He stopped suddenly as he heard a loud click coming from above him. Looking up, he saw Vincent standing at the edge of the ledge, his short-barrelled gun pointing straight down to where he was climbing. One of the gunman's red eyes was closed as he took a careful aim.

"Hey, hey!" Cid protested. He almost lost his grip in his panic. "Watch where you're pointin' that thing, Vince! I was just saying!"

Vincent said nothing. He just looked down the sight of his gun, where he could see Cid and a small outcrop of rock behind him. He waited until the last possible moment before he pulled the trigger.

Cid flinched.

The bullet never hit him. Instead a piercing, pained screech came from behind him. Cid snapped his head round in time to see the grotesque, gaudy form of a Zolkalter slip from the wall and tumble from the ledge. The bullet landed in its circular, razor-tipped mouth, going straight through until it came out of its scaly back. The monster flailed its four spindly legs as it fell, before crashing on the ledge below. It twitched once, and then stopped moving.

The monster defeated, Vincent spun the Shortbarrel in his hand before flipping it back into its holster. With a flick of his cloak he turned away and began to ascend the cliff to the next level. Cloud breathed out silently and turned back to the ledge. Leaning over, he offered his hand to Cid, who was almost shaking with fright.

"I thought he was gonna kill me!" the pilot said shakily. He reached up and grasped onto Cloud's outstretched hand. Cloud tightened his grip and pulled, digging his heels into the rock. He pulled as Cid pushed himself up, until finally the pilot was able to climb onto the ledge.

A smile spread on Cloud's face. "Be thankful he missed then," was all he said. Cid scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, while Cloud turned back to the cliff and began to climb after Vincent. After a moment or two Cid began to follow them, climbing quicker so as not to fall behind again.

After a while of climbing the three came across a dark entrance leading into the mountain. They marked the entrance with a small red flag they borrowed from Holzoff before leaving—to let Barret and the others know when they caught up that they had entered the mountain. They had few of these flags and had to use them sparingly. Yuffie's advanced tracking skills would allow them to follow easily enough. The inside of Gaea's Cliff was made entirely of ice, so they could not leave any visible markers except for chinks in the ice made by the tip of Cid's spear.

There were several twists and turns inside the mountain, and more than once the three nearly ended up lost. The caverns and paths looked identical after a while of searching, and though the ice was almost opaque, it had a mirror-like quality that reflected the openings of tunnels and doorways. The floor was also incredibly slippery in parts, which meant they had to walk carefully else they would slip on the sloping paths and break their necks.

After navigating their way through the catacomb of icy tunnels they ended up outside again, faced with another long climb. In the shelter of the mountain they had almost forgotten about the cold wind, which hit them hard as they stepped out into the open air. Pretty soon they were chilled to the bone again, and had to pause for several minutes rubbing themselves over to warm up before attempting the climb. They also noticed that it was beginning to get dark quite fast, losing track of time during their treks in the snow.

This climb was longer than the last one, with the gaps between ledges steadily increasing. The were no more of the Zolkalter beasts, much to Cid's relief, though he swore that once he saw a Blue Dragon flying around the west side of the mountain. Cloud and Vincent said nothing and continued to climb, focusing more on reaching the ledge and warming up than dealing with a possible dragon.

The next doorway lay just ahead, at the top of a steady climb. Cloud figured this was the highest anyone attempting to climb the cliff had ever gotten, since he could not see any coloured flags marking the path after this point. There was another doorway a little further up, but the wall was too steep and there were too few hand and footholds to climb with. He reached the ledge first and spent the next few minutes as he waited for Cid and Vincent rubbing his arms. He wondered how the others were doing. Had they started their ascent?

Cloud and his friends were disappointed as they entered the mountain and stepped into the cavern. There was only one cavern with only two exits, both of which led back out into the cold. The exit to the right led straight into the cold and wound its way upward. The left exit was inaccessible, blocked by a large pool of icy water. A number of holes filled with water were scattered throughout the cavern.

"Well, looks like it's back into the cold," said Cid, crossing his arms. He nodded his head toward the right-hand exit. "Where d'you suppose that there door leads?"

Cloud walked across the icy cavern and peered out of the door. The wind seemed harsher here, and flakes of snow stung his face as he looked out. He saw the path cut into the side of the mountain, saw it flow to the outer wall before turning abruptly upward and heading back toward the mountain. He stepped back into the cavern and looked up at the ceiling. There was an upper ledge near the ceiling, with a small doorway, and a lower ledge crossing the length of the cavern to another exit behind them. Four giant icicles hung above them.

"There, I think," said Cloud, pointing to the doorway above them. "The left path leads to the door we saw outside." He drew his sword. "Stay here. I'm going up to cut those icicles down, and—"

Cloud stopped as a loud bang and a whoosh of air made him jump. Turning around he saw that Vincent had drawn his gun and was already firing bullets up toward the icicles. Cid then threw his spear up into the air. The spear lodged in the cracked base of the icicle, breaking it free of its hold on the ceiling and sending it crashing down toward the ground. The first icicle landed in one of the open holes, sending the water beneath its surface crashing and spiralling. Its force partially emptied the pool blocking the left-hand door, revealing a small icy pillar.

A few more gunshots and spear-throws later, all four of the giant icicles had been broken down from the ceiling and now lay still in the holes built into the ground. The water in the pool had been drained away, and four tall pillars of ice now led the way to the door. A few bats lay dead on the cavern floor, after flying down to feed when the icicles fell away.

"—Or we could do that," Cloud finished at last, placing his sword back on his back. The three jumped across the ice pillars and left the cavern through the exit.

As Cloud had thought, the path outside led back into the cavern from above, and that in turn led back outside the mountain through the other open doorway. When they stepped outside the three stopped to peer briefly down the side of the mountain to see if they could spot Tifa or the others climbing the mountain. They did not stare too long—it was a long way down to the bottom now.

Once more they began to climb the mountain wall. The wind was still blowing, though if it had gotten any colder since they were last outside they could not tell, for their bodies were too chilled to notice anymore. Even Cid was too cold to complain about his plane anymore.

Just when they were about to collapse from exhaustion, they reached the final ledge before yet another open door. As they stopped to warm their bodies, they looked up. The mountain peak was very close now—it was no more than thirty, maybe forty feet above them. Cloud leaned against the wall, his breath coming in short, white gasps.

"We're almost there," he breathed. His voice sounded quiet and dull in the frosty air. Though he did not say it, he could feel the air around them beginning to thin out the higher they climbed. He had to take deeper breaths to replenish the oxygen he lost in normal breaths. Cid and Vincent could feel it too, he guessed, for they were breathing more deeply than normal.

They headed into the mountain again. They were in a smaller cavern this time. It was a slender cavern that seemed to stretch across the entire width of the mountain. There was only one exit to the east of the cavern. A large number of icy blue crystals grew like trees along the walls, gathering around a small pool of glowing mako in the middle of the path.

Cloud knelt beside the pool and gently dipped his hand in. The mako was pure and untainted, flowing freely within the mountain itself. Its surface barely even rippled when Cloud touched it, it was that pure and thick. The mako was warm to the touch and made his fingers tingle. He lifted his hand from the liquid and wiped it on his shirt. It was best to leave this pure pool of mako alone.

The three headed on through the door and entered a long tunnel. The moment they passed through the doorway a pain-filled cry echoed throughout the tunnel, making them stop in their tracks. Instinctively they drew their weapons.

Seconds later another anguished cry filled the tunnel and a dark figure suddenly spiralled through the air, appearing from the exit on the other side of the tunnel. Cloud recognised him instantly as one of the Black-Caped men they had seen in Nibelheim and the Temple of the Ancients. The man crashed to the floor with a sickening crunch, and slid to a stop in the middle of the tunnel.

"Ugh…… Errgaahh!!" the man moaned loudly.

He tried to stand, but by the time Cloud and his companions ran forward he had fallen again. They did not need to check to see if he was dead. Before their eyes, the cloak surrounding the man began to fall, as though the body inside it was slowly disappearing. Within seconds there was nothing left but an empty cloak, and then that too vanished into nothing.

As the last remnants of the cloak disappeared, the tunnel suddenly shook violently. Cloud, Cid, and Vincent gripped their weapons in their hands and faced the doorway, waiting to see what creature had slain the black-caped man.

A head peered into the tunnel. One head, and then another. Two heads, one with red scales and curled horns, the other with white armour across its head and muzzle, both joined by long necks to the same body. The shadow of a large body blocked the entrance to the tunnel. Two short, thin arms reached in and gripped the wall as the heads loomed in, both hissing and screeching as they caught the scent of prey. As it eyes fell on the three in the tunnel the heads roared loudly.

At a sign from Cloud, Vincent whipped out his gun and quickly aimed four shots at the creature's twin heads. He fired in quick succession. He moved too fast for the creature's heads to react, and they recoiled in pain as the bullets were shot directly into its eyes. The two heads began to snake out of the tunnel.

"Now!" shouted Cloud, raising his sword and charging forward toward the monster.

Cid, taking Cloud's lead, hefted his spear onto his shoulder and ran forward to join Cloud in his assault. The monster, blinded by blood and bullets, could not see the attack coming. In a desperate attempt to defend itself it jabbed its two heads forward, snapping its jaws hungrily.

Cloud and Cid dodged the biting jaws and skidded to a halt in between the monster's long necks. Together the two thrust their weapons forward, stabbing spear and sword into the thick, rubbery flesh.

The monsters roared loudly as blood spurted from the wounds, struggling to move and free their necks. Cloud pulled his sword out of the right side head and quickly brought the sword down, attempting to severe the head from its body. The sword sliced almost cleanly through the monster's head and it fell to the floor, writhing and slithering.

Instantly Cloud turned and brought his sword down on the other head. The monster was already pulling back after feeling the pain from its other dying head. When Cloud brought his sword down it struck the hard metal from its white armour, making a huge dent before cutting through into its skull. The monster died almost instantly, choking out a gurgle before finally dying.

The body of the Schizo, devoid of life, began to tumble back away from the tunnel entrance. Its clawed hands lost their grip and fell from the tunnel as its large bulk fell backward over the ledge. The last the three saw of the monster was its body as it fell from the mountain, crashing into the wall and rolling down the rocky slope toward the ground far away.

The three stood at the edge of the tunnel, looking down as the monster disappeared from view. When the monster was gone they lowered their weapons and began to head out of the tunnel and back into the cold. They were just about to step out of the tunnel when a familiar voice called out to them from somewhere behind them.

"Hey!"

* * *

"Seriously, you guys sure make an easy path to follow, even in ice," said Yuffie. The young ninja walked with her hands behind her head, taking long strides up and down the ledge. "There was no problem tracking you. Dead bats and bullet holes everywhere. I could have followed you blindfolded… and deaf!"

Cloud, Vincent, and Cid said nothing, and did their best to ignore the ninja's bragging. But Yuffie would not be silenced and continued to brag about her skills. She went on and on and only stopped when Cid threatened to throw her off the cliff, a threat to which Yuffie looked down the mountain and abruptly went quiet.

They were very near the top of Gaea's Cliff now. The peak was just ahead of them, no more than twenty feet above. The eight friends, now finally gathered, were close to their destination.

They began to climb. Cloud led the way, using whatever footholds and handholds he could see, since there were no flags to mark his way. After about ten feet the mountain wall turned inward and began to level off, sloping just enough that they could walk on it.

Naturally, Cloud was the first to reach the top of the mountain. He climbed onto the ridge and ran forward to reach the mountain peak. When he reached the top and looked over the edge he stopped, his jaw falling open in awe. Moments later the others ran up beside him and they also stopped, their own mouths falling open. Even Yuffie, the incessant chatterbox, had only one word to say.

"Wow……"

* * *

**Emerald:** That was longer than I expected. I only had a short battle with the Schizo, since we have the battle with Jenova coming up soon. But hey, in the New Year we get inside the mountain! Woot! Happy New Years everyone! 


	37. Part 09: Chapter 37

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Two thousand years ago, an object of extraordinary mass and power fell down from the skies and crashed into the Planet. The resulting collision caused the lands to ripple and rise, forming into treacherous mountain peaks that crossed the continent. Earthquakes cracked the land, forming deep canyons, and the temperature dropped to unbelievable levels, making it almost impossible for anyone to live there.

When the tremors ended and the land began to settle, the Planet began to draw up energy to heal its terrible wound. It gathered up the essence of the Lifestream to the source of the wound—a deep crater that was formed by the collision. The Lifestream surged into the open wound, covering it like a soothing balm.

Now in the present day, the Lifestream continued to flow around the northern crater, found in the centre of Gaea's Cliff. The jagged mountains became a natural barrier to all who tried to reach the northern caves, keeping the wound a secret so that no one would see the Planet's pain. The only ones aware of the Planet's cries were the Cetra, the ancient race of the past, and those susceptible to the Planet's voice.

As the northern lights rippled in the night sky, the Lifestream flowed and swirled around the crater. It surged from the centre of the crater like a geyser, sending showers of sparkling blue-green mako energy falling to the ground. It formed into a vast pillar of light almost as bright as the stars that shone in the sky. A second pillar of mako encased the first, moving in horizontal rays around the crater's perimeter.

Thick layers of smoke and icy mist seeped from the crater's edge. It spread across the ground in whirling tendrils, blocking most of the path from view. A single path led down the inner slope of the outer crater and into the mist, disappearing amongst the sea of white.

As Cloud and the others watched, a gush of mako energy burst up from the depths of the crater, rising so high into the sky it surpassed the mountain's peak and rose high into the sky. It was as though the Planet was desperately trying to heal its wound… as quickly as possible. Cloud and his friends stood and stared at the pillar of light, their hearts beating in time to the Planet's pulse.

Cloud stepped up to the edge of the crater. He placed one boot on the edge of the rocky cliff and raised his hand to his face, shielding his eyes against the light. "An old crater…" he breathed. He looked around at the tall crater before them. "Something fell out of the sky and crashed down here… Leaving a scar on the planet."

Something moved behind him as Vincent stepped up onto the ledge and looked down at the Lifestream. "It's amassed a vast amount of energy to heal itself," he said.

The gunman's face was impassive, giving nothing away. Whether he felt the sensation of life that came from looking into the Lifestream, no one could say. Those crimson eyes, as red as the cape that covered him, showed no hint of emotion.

"Sephiroth took that energy," Cloud said, "and is trying to use Meteor. Next time the wound won't be so small."

One by one everyone turned their eyes to the sky. The sky was dark and dotted with stars. Those stars were plentiful, tiny glittering specks against the endless ocean that was the universe. The northern lights, rippling waves of green and blue, swept over them and made them twinkle with colour. Everyone was thinking the same thing. Which of those thousands stars would Sephiroth use to collide with the Planet?

No, they each thought. Sephiroth would not get the chance to use Meteor. They would enter the north cave, find Sephiroth, and retrieve the Black Materia. For Cloud was right: if Meteor were summoned, the Planet's next wound would not be so small. For the Planet's next wound would kill it.

With renewed vigour the eight companions proceeded down the crater's inner slope. The path they used led steadily toward the mist, making it effortless to reach the end. The Lifestream that flowed around the crater gave off a surge of warm heat, warming their chilled bodies. Pretty soon they had forgotten about the icy winds of Gaea's Cliff and were moving down the path at speed, focused on their task.

When they were halfway down they spotted a cloaked figure walking across the path. It was another of the black-caped men, heading down into the crater. The man staggered as he walked, and thick layers of ice and snow clung to his cloak. He shivered, his feet moving slowly as though every step was an effort. When Cloud and the others approached him they could hear his heavy, laboured breathing, rasping breaths coming from frozen lungs. They reached him just in time to hear him gasp out his last words before he fell dead to the ground.

"…B, back… to… Sep… …i… roth…"

Cloud and his friends gathered around the man's lifeless body. As they watched, the man's body rippled and gurgled beneath the velvet cloak. Then the cloak fell flat, the body hidden within it returning again to the Planet. Without a word, they moved on.

It was not long before they finally reached the end of the slope. The sea of mist created by the Lifestream lay before them. A fusion of cold and warm air rose from the earth and made their skin tingle. Serrated columns of rock stuck out of the ground, the mist swirling around them in gentle waves. The path slanted toward the northern crater in the centre, rising above the mist toward the tall, rocky mass.

Cloud took the step and plunged feet first into the mist. The mist rose to his waist, parting as he entered and then clinging to his body like water. The effervescent air was warm against his skin, pulsing gently. Light showers of mako fell in tiny droplets from the sky as the Lifestream surged from the crater.

After taking a few guarded steps to make sure the mist was safe to walk in, Cloud signalled to his companions. Tentatively they dived into the mist, exclaiming as they felt its unusual warmth. Tifa walked easily through the gaze and stood beside Cloud.

The time has come to settle things with Sephiroth, huh?" asked Tifa. When Cloud nodded, Tifa sighed heavily and turned away. "I, too, have lost many things because of Sephiroth," she said. She turned back suddenly, her face resolute. "Let's go!"

Together the companions advanced through the mist. They moved slowly at first, for the mist, while thin, clung to their bodies and held them back. But as they moved further the path began to slant upward, taking them out of the mist until it was far beneath them, a swirling mass of white amidst the jagged rocks.

Before long the path had risen high above the fog, taking them on an uneven road toward the crater. Rivers of mako energy flowed far beneath them as the Lifestream gushed up from the crater's depths. Those rivers eventually formed into one giant ocean and gave the mist an eerie green hue. They could no longer see the bottom—if there was one. This is what the group tried not to think about as they journeyed along the path—the long drop below.

Up ahead the path came to a sudden end and branched off into two different directions. The first path was short and came to a dead end a little below them, while the second continued to head for the crater.

Another black-caped man was nearby. His body trembled with cold and fatigue as he tottered uneasily down the shorter path. Red XIII, seeing him heading for the cliff's edge, hurriedly leapt down onto the short path, but he was too late to save him. Before the hound could reach him, the black-caped man stepped off the edge and fell down into the Lifestream below, his body splashing into the water.

Saddened by his inability to save the doomed man, Red XIII sat back on his haunches and howled.

While the hound howled, Cloud jumped onto the path to pick up an object the cloaked man had dropped before plummeting to his death. It was an orb of red materia. As soon as Cloud's fingers closed around it he felt the Bahamut materia left behind from their battle in the Temple of the Ancients shake gently in his wrist armour. Neo Bahamut… Bahamut's other form… was contained in this materia.

They hurried on. The path became more broken and disjointed as they walked, sometimes ending entirely and forcing them to double back. In some cases they had to jump over large gaps in order to continue moving forward. The closer to the crater they got the colder the air became, as a chill wind caused by the movement of the Lifestream began to blow.

There were more of the black-caped men in this area of the maze. Like their two predecessors they also staggered with weariness, barely able to see the ground in front of them. One of them, his mind lost to the numbness brought on by the cold, did not notice the path turn away from him and he walked off the edge. His friends did not get much farther before they collapsed, their bodies dissolving into the earth.

The eight friends hurried through the network of broken paths. They looked up the crater's outer wall. Parts of the wall had broken away over the two millennia it had been there, and they could see the side of the Lifestream barrier as it streamed out of the Planet's core. The group came to a stop and stared in awe at the mako wall. The mako glowed brightly and they were unable to see the centre of it. Cloud looked around in wonder, before his gaze turned to the sky. He jumped, startled.

"That's……!!!"

* * *

While Cloud and his companions travelled on foot through the winding and broken paths of Gaea's Cliff, others were taking a more direct route to reach the crater. A powerful airship flew high above the ground, its many lights acting like a beacon in the night sky. The airship's many propellers whirred noisily as it flew through the air. Its destination was the same as that of the travellers below: the Northern Crater. As it approached the colossal wall of mako, the airship began to reduce speed. 

Inside the airship's command centre, Rufus Shinra walked leisurely across the deck. He stopped at the front of the deck and peered out of the glass wall that safeguarded the deck. Around him, Scarlet and Heidegger stood watching, their eyes hungry as they took in the sight that lay before them. The endless stream of mako energy, borne of the Lifestream, was fast approaching. Rufus Shinra stood straight with a sigh, a contented smile on his lips.

"So, I finally found you," he said, smiling.

Beside him, Scarlet began to laugh. Her hideous, screeching 'kya ha ha' laugh made everyone on deck cringe and shrink back stiffly. Her laugh was heard all through the upper decks, echoing and returning to the bridge louder than before. Turning to face the ship's crew, she laughed again, louder than before but just as painfully.

"This is incredible……" she said when she could speak. The Head of Shinra's Weapon Development glanced at Rufus, her blood-red lipstick stretching as she smirked.

In the middle of the deck, Heidegger, Head of Public Safety Maintenance, took a step forward so that he could see the wonderful view. When his eyes fell upon the endless surge of mako streaming up from the crater, his bearded face lit up. "This is the Promised Land the President has been searching for!!" he exclaimed. A chuckle shook his large body, though he remembered to restrain his own dreadful laugh.

Rufus turned away from the window and faced his two employees. They could already taste the gold in their mouths and feel it weighing down their pockets. Rufus, on the other hand, could already taste the power. Sephiroth had led them to the Promised Land, the purest source of mako ever to be found on the Planet. With this endless source of energy, he would control the populace of the planet.

"But," said the new President, his face cold, "I'll be the one who gets it."

He turned back to face the window. Scarlet and Heidegger could have their money, if they wanted. All Rufus wanted was the power that came from owning all the mako the Planet could offer. His father had tried to use his money to find the Promised Land, and ended his search with Sephiroth's sword in his back. His son, fed up of his father's greedy ways, took a different route. And it seemed he had succeeded.

Deviously, coldly, Rufus smirked. "Sorry, old man."

Standing apart from the rest of them, at the far end of the deck, was Hojo. The Shinra scientist had his back to everyone on deck, as though he cared little for the mako wall as it loomed before them. In fact he did care little, for his mind was on other things, other theories that were coming together. Rude stood nearby, though the silent Turk paid no attention to Hojo as he chuckled ominously beneath his breath.

"That land is no one's," the scientist mused to himself. No one heard him speak, for he spoke quietly and to himself. "It's where the Reunion will take place…… They will all gather here……" Hojo raised his head and looked up at the metal ceiling, the image of the Reunion forming in his mind's eye. "I wonder if we will see…… Sephiroth?" Then Hojo laughed quietly, his shoulders shaking in his excitement.

* * *

After seeing the Shinra airship approach the crater, Cloud lowered his gaze and turned to face his friends. They all stared up at the airship in alarm. If the Shinra had arrived already, that meant that they were rapidly running out of time. They had to enter the crater and find Sephiroth before the Shinra did! 

Turning away from the airship, the eight friends began to race down the path toward the crater's outer wall. The airship above them slowed and lowered its great bulk down near the edge of the crater, landing on a large, overhanging piece of rock on the other side of the mako wall. As the Shinra disembarked from their airship and made their way toward the entrance of the crater, Cloud and the others ran down their own path toward the mako wall.

When Cloud and the others arrived at the mako wall, they saw two more men dressed in black capes approaching it. The wall's outer barrier flowed across the rocky path in regular waves, pulsating in time to the planet's life-beat as it surged up from its core. The black-caped men did not seem to notice this wave of energy, which seemed very much like a coloured wind, and walked right into it.

The moment their bodies touched the windy barrier they were thrown back, hurled with immense force back across the path. The sickening crunch of bones breaking and shattering could be heard as they landed on the rocks. They rolled to a stop at the feet of Cloud and his companions, who looked down at the hooded men in horror. Though their faces were invisible, they could sense the pain the men were in as they gasped and rasped their last breaths.

"Uph… Se… phi… roth…" groaned one.

"Wh-…who……a," gasped the other. The laboured breaths then stopped and the bodies of the two cloaked men disappeared, along with their cloaks.

Tifa stepped forward toward the barrier. As she approached the wind picked up, blowing her dark hair around her face. The young fighter stared into the wind. The wind blew in regular waves, picking up and then slowing again to almost nothing. When the wind was quiet she could see the path on the other side, heading for the crater. Curious, she picked up a loose stone from the ground and hurled it at the barrier when the wind was low. As she predicted, the stone passed straight through. Turning back to the others, she explained her theory.

"We need to cross when the wind is calm, or we'll get swept off!" she warned them.

Following Tifa's advice, the group gathered together at the edge of the mako wall. The wind had picked up again and was blowing swiftly across the path. They could feel the heat of the mako as it blew past them. After a minute or so the wind began to die down. When it fell silent, the group charged across the path. They made it just in time, for the moment they passed through the wind immediately picked up again.

"What WAS that…?" asked Barret, stopping to look back at the wind barrier as it blocked the path. The wind died down a few seconds after they passed through, returning to a calm breeze. It surprised them how fast the wind changed when they approached, as though the wall knew someone was trying to break its barriers.

"A shield…" said Cloud, gazing up at the mako wall. "The Planet is trying to protect itself against those who would try to break through and harm it. Like Sephiroth." The ex-SOLDIER took a few steps away from the mako wall and looked up at the crater. It was no use. He could not see the Shinra airship anywhere. Shaking his head, he turned back to his friends. "Let's hurry," he said. "We haven't much time."

They continued down the path. As they reached the end of the path they were on and jumped down onto the next one, they were met with a most astounding sight.

There were figures marching steadily up the path. Nearly a hundred men, they figured, though it was impossible to be sure. All of them were dressed in the long black robes of the men they had seen on the mountain cliff, the Temple of the Ancients, and in Nibelheim.

In the Gold Saucer they had thought there to be only thirteen of them, Red XIII presumably the last of them, but now they saw that they had been horribly, horribly wrong. The figures filled the entire path, which stretched up into the distance toward the second barrier of the mako wall.

Cloud and the others began to make their way through the throng of men. The men were moving slowly, tottering on their legs as though they were barely aware that they were walking. They were careful not to touch the men if possible, afraid of catching whatever it was that was making them like they were. The men were muttering to themselves as they walked. Murmurs of 'Sephiroth', 'Reunion', and 'Jenova', could be heard from every direction. Some of the men collapsed as they walked, while others lost all sense of direction and walked off the edge of the path. No one tried to help them, no one tried to stop them. Not a single one of the cloaked men even noticed those standing beside them, so focused they were on making it across the path.

By the time Cloud's team reached the second barrier, the number of black-caped men strolling up the path had nearly halved. The exertion of their journey from wherever they had started had taken its toll on the majority of them and they died on the spot with Sephiroth's name on their lips.

The next mako wall they reached was more difficult to pass than the first one. This second wall not only had a barrier of wind, but also a pulse of mako energy that shot across the path in irregular bursts. It appeared at erratic intervals, appearing when the wind was blowing and when it was calm. It took precise timing in order to pass through the wall unharmed. They eventually managed it, and ran on.

They had to climb up a rocky wall to reach the next path, which rose a good few feet above the previous path. They climbed up the wall and walked through a haze of mako, they suddenly came to a stop.

Sephiroth was on the path before them. The large soldier stood with his back to the group, facing two more of the black-caped men who had somehow made it through the second barrier. Sephiroth had his sword in his hands, stained with red blood. As they drew near they could hear Sephiroth speaking to the two men, his voice carrying above the roar of the mako walls around them.

"This is the end…" Sephiroth was saying to the two black-robed men. "For all of you."

In a single swift movement, Sephiroth raised his masamune and slashed it in front of him. A second later the two robed men fell back away from him and tumbled over the edge of the path. Their robed bodies fluttered down and splashed into the sea of glowing mako below. They did not even cry out in pain. Sephiroth lowered his sword. Fresh blood dripped off the shiny edge of his sword's blade.

"Sephiroth!!!" Sephiroth turned his head slightly. Cloud ran up and stopped behind him, his hand around the handle of his Buster Sword. But the soldier did not turn. Cloud, growling deep in his throat, stepped closer. "This is the end!"

Sephiroth turned to look at Cloud. His glowing mako eyes glared at Cloud with a knowing malevolence, and the beginnings of a sneer tugged at the corner of his mouth. When he spoke it was with the softness and care of a loving parent, but carried with it a restrained sense of malice.

"You're right," said Sephiroth. He looked down at his gloved hand, smiling as he gazed upon the leather that covered his flesh. When he clenched his hand into a fist, the thick leather creaked. "This is the end of this body's usefulness."

Without warning a wave of dark light suddenly swept over Sephiroth's body, moving from the feet up and casting a dark shadow over the soldier's leather-clad form. His silver hair turned black. White armour became shrouded in shadow. Pale skin was enveloped in darkness.

The last to change was Sephiroth's eyes, which continued to glow even as the darkness covered his face until they too vanished in the gloom. Then, in the blink of an eye, Sephiroth suddenly vanished. It was so sudden that it startled the group, who were not prepared for this sudden act. Cloud ran forward to where Sephiroth had stood. There was no trace of the soldier anywhere. He had completely vanished.

"He disappeared!" exclaimed Cloud in disbelief.

"He might still be nearby……" said Tifa, coming to stand near Cloud.

The eight companions stood still and glanced around the path. The air around them seemed to dim and darken, as though after two millennia night had finally pierced through the sea of mako and reached the ground. They looked up and down, and left and right, and then up and down again. But Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen.

Then, a voice began to speak out from the shadowy depths, making the group jump. At first they thought it was Sephiroth's voice, but they soon realised that it wasn't. The voice spoke smoothly and eerily, whispering like a spirit in their ears.

_Our purpose is to deliver the Black Materia to our master._

Cloud looked up in surprise. The voice seemed to come from all around him, as well as inside him. It spoke in his head, in his heart, and in the very air.

"Our…?"

_Those who carry Jenova's cells…_

Another voice had spoken, different to the first one. But it still was not Sephiroth.

"Master…!?"

More voices were joining in. Now there were a multitude of different voices, laughing and joking mockingly from their hiding places… wherever they were.

_Of course… Sephiroth. Heh, heh, heh…_

Suddenly, from above them, Sephiroth appeared. His masamune was in his left hand, its blade seeming to glow and glint in the green light of the mako. He hovered above the group, unseen, before he suddenly swept down at them. Before anyone had time to look up, Sephiroth struck. He swung his sword, striking everyone with the flat of his blade in a single movement. Everyone instantly fell to their knees, shocked and stunned.

Struggling and shaking, Cloud climbed to his feet. Sephiroth stood before him, his arms spread wide, not facing him. In his right hand he clutched a piece of Jenova's mutilated body. Blood dripped down the pinkish skin and onto the floor. Sephiroth turned to face Cloud, and rapidly swung his sword. Cloud did not move, even as the blade stopped mere inches from his stomach. Sephiroth smiled wickedly. Then he lowered his sword and flung Jenova's flesh forward.

The marred flesh landed at Cloud's feet. Cloud watched as it flopped about on the gravely floor, his face twisted in disgust. When he looked up Sephiroth was gone, the only sign of his presence being a small, fading wisp of cloud.

Turning his attention back to Jenova's flesh, Cloud slowly drew his Organics sword. He steadied the unusually designed blade of the sword over the flesh, preparing to strike and kill it before it had a chance to form into Jenova. But something halted his hand and made him wait. Then, as regular as clockwork, the flesh began to convulse and bubble, expand and stretch, forming into the familiar figure that was Jenova.

But this Jenova was different. The pinkish flesh had been drained of colour, leaving it a frightening, deathly black. The sight of this new form took the others by surprise, causing Yuffie to scream and Cid to drop his spear onto the ground. Everyone backed up, alarmingly afraid.

Only Cloud remained where he was, his sword still steady in his hands. He raised his eyes slowly up to look at Jenova. Then he pulled his sword back and lunged.

* * *

**Emerald:** I rewrote the ending to this chapter to make it better, and I think you'll all agree that this works better. Thanks to those who offered me links to the FMVs I needed—I really appreciate it! I found the FMVs myself after much searching, but it's so nice that some of you took the time to help me out! 


	38. Part 09: Chapter 38

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Cloud charged forward, his hands gripping the handle of his sword so tight that his knuckles turned white. His eyes glowed brightly, the mako inside him burning as fervently as his blood. He yelled a battle cry as he plunged the sword deep into the thick skin beneath Jenova's waist. The sword sank in to the hilt. Black blood slicked down his hands.

Pain shot through Jenova's body. She looked down, snaking her long neck downward to stare at the human by her feet. Her mouth pulled into a frown, stretching the dark skin of her shrunken face tight across her cheekbones. The pain was terrible—she could feel the metal inside her, and felt the blood oozing from her wound. But the pain did not trouble her. In fact, it excited her. The frown turned into a malicious smile as the images of their deaths appeared in her mind. The pain turned into bloodlust, making her black blood bubble. She drew back her right tentacle-arm, preparing to strike.

Looking up, Cloud saw Jenova's arm swing down toward him. He let go of his sword, which was stuck tight in Jenova's ridged folds of skin and leaped back, letting the arm pass underneath. The ex-SOLDIER flipped through the air, reaching behind him and drawing his other sword. When he landed he spun to face Jenova, making to lunge again.

"Cloud, wait!"

Cloud ignored Tifa's cry and leaped up, his sword drawn behind as he prepared to land a lethal strike to Jenova's heart. Seeing him approach, the ancient calamity swung her arm the other way. Cloud was barely able to raise his sword in defence before she struck, smacking him and sending him crashing to the ground behind his friends in a cloud of dust.

Wrapping her arm around the handle of Cloud's sword, which was still stuck inside her, Jenova wrenched it free and held it up. More blood slid from her wound. The calamity twisted her body around and then hurled the sword away from her. The blade flashed green in the mako light around them as it zipped toward the rest of the group, who stood nearby.

Swiftly the group ran aside, running out of the way of the approaching blade. The sword struck with ground with a flash of red light, becoming stuck in the rocky path. The aim had been deadly accurate, landing precisely where Tifa had been standing.

Seconds after running aside, Yuffie came to a stop and spun round to face Jenova. Holding her shuriken firmly in one hand, she moved it in front of her in some kind of ritualistic movement, before raising it up above her head. The red materia she had received back in Wutai flashed brightly in response.

The ground around them rumbled, and then suddenly a surge of water rose up from the depths of the Lifestream. The water rose in a single towering wave, rising until its frothy peak was high above the path. From the depths of the water a single thin shadow moved, sliding up through the water as it headed for the surface. It broke through the surface of the water with a piercing roar, bursting into the night. Droplets of water fell upon Jenova and the companions as they looked upon the sacred beast of Wutai.

The creature was Leviathan, a great sea serpent whose power was passed on to the leaders of Wutai. The serpent's massive body was covered in thick, bluish scales that were as hard as diamonds. Powerful fins lined his long, sleek form. His head was long and dragon-like, ending in a pointed jaw filled with dozens of tiny serrated teeth. Water constantly slid down his scales, as though the beast himself generated the water by will alone.

Bursting free of the water, Leviathan turned his long body downward. His fins flapped through the air and the serpent began to swim forward, swimming through the air as easily as if it were water. He slid his way around the group, passing close to Yuffie, who was lost in the trance of her summoning.

Red XIII ran forward, his powerful legs pounding the rock with each bound. Upon his back sat Cait Sith, megaphone in hand and clutching the long hairs at the back of Red XIII's neck. The hound caught up to Leviathan as he swam forward and leapt upon his back. He dug his claws into the hard scales and hung on.

Seeing the sea dragon approach, Jenova protectively drew her large shoulder blades close to her, making the large pieces of hard flesh close around her upper body like a shield. Leviathan roared loudly, making the ground shake with his mighty cry. Upon his back Red XIII howled, then bared himself for the collision.

Leviathan struck, ramming into Jenova. Jenova must have used a special attack at the same time, for the impact sent a rippling shockwave of heated wind down Leviathan's snake-like body. Cait bellowed, leaning forward and clinging to Red XIII's fur to stop him from falling. Red XIII dug his claws deeper into the serpent's scales.

After much pushing and shoving Leviathan finally won, pushing past Jenova's body and sending her hurtling backward. The serpent swam forward at speed, his body passing close to Jenova's as he passed. At this point Red XIII leapt from Leviathan's back and onto Jenova's. He landed on her great shoulders, which were just reopening. He went straight for her neck, while Cait jumped off and began to beat her face with his megaphone.

"All right, lads, it's your turn!" the cat called before returning to his beating.

As Leviathan disappeared into the watery depths of his tidal wave, the others ran in to attack. Tifa, enraged that the sword had been aimed at her, went into the fray with her fists accurately ablaze. The Fire materia in her wrist armour was active, turning her fists into blazing balls of flame. She proceeded to kick and punch Jenova's lower body with all her might, leaping up to avoid the lashing tail that tried to knock her down.

Barret was making good use of his materia as well. His materia active, it turned the bullets he fired into bullets of ice. These bullets pierced Jenova's hard flesh easily, digging much deeper and causing more damage than any other bullet would. When he was close enough to use his chainsaw, he thrust his arm deep into the flesh. The chainsaw shredded the inner flesh, and the Ice materia caused the wound to freeze open, allowing no chance of healing.

The others were all attacking with equal ferocity, stabbing and shooting and hitting with everything they had. Cid clambered up Jenova's back and thrust his spear forward. The spear barely pierced the flesh, but went deep enough to cause Jenova to screech and flail wildly. This created an opening for Vincent, who was leaping from rock to rock and firing his gun each time he saw an opening.

As Jenova flailed her chest became exposed and Vincent leapt off the rock. Closing one red eye he aimed at the spot where he thought her heart would be, and fired. Somehow sensing the threat, Jenova swung her arm to block the bullet. The bullet passed straight through the arm, but was slowed enough to barely penetrate her chest. Blood spurted from the wound in her arm.

Behind Vincent, Yuffie leapt off a rock and into the air. She flicked her wrist and threw her shuriken away from her. The circular razor ring spun through the air like a deadly Frisbee. It zipped past Tifa, narrowly missing her head as she flipped upside down to land a powerful kick. It skimmed past Cid, nearly making him fall. It suddenly spun round and sliced through Jenova's shoulder, cutting a deep groove before zipping back to Yuffie, who caught it briefly before throwing it again.

Red XIII and Cait Sith were still working together to sever Jenova's head. The hound had his jaws locked around the calamity's thick neck and was kicking his back legs furiously. The acrid taste of blood filled his mouth and dripped down his jaw, but he resisted the urge to retch and continued to claw. Cait Sith shouted his support as he continued to hit Jenova's head.

Her bloodlust turning to rage, Jenova turned her head to glare at Cait Sith. The cat, too busy bashing her forehead and yelling fierce insults, did not see what was coming. Jenova's dark eyes lit up into narrow slits of blood red light and focused on the robotic feline. Cait noticed only at the last second before Jenova fired.

Twin beams of thin red light burst forth from Jenova's eyes. They struck Cait in the chest, pushing the cat off her shoulder and into the air. Cait yowled in pain and shock as he was pushed back. The world spun before his eyes, the ground moving constantly so that it was never in the same place for more than a second.

Suddenly a flash of pink-white appeared before his eyes as he crashed into something large and soft. The thing he landed on fell back and rolled over with him. Cait closed his eyes, praying to whatever god there was that this ended soon. When he finally stopped Cait opened his eyes, dazed. The Mog was beneath him, looking equally as dazed. Cait cried in relief and hugged the Mog body tightly.

Cloud had recovered his first sword and was now using both at once to cut huge chunks of flesh from Jenova's shoulders. The two blades together caused major damage to Jenova's form as more and more pieces of flesh fell to the ground. With each new wound more blood filled the air, and with each new wound Jenova became more incensed.

Her eyes lighting up once more, Jenova turned to face the other creature still clinging to her neck. Red XIII saw the attack coming and released his hold on her neck. He leaped aside just as the beams were released. The twin beams missed Red XIII's body but hit the end of his tail, making the hot flame flicker and threaten to go out. Red XIII yelped more in surprise than in pain. In anger he pounced upon Jenova's face, his sharp teeth seeking out her eyes.

Jenova could do nothing to defend herself. The attack left her momentarily blind, and in that instant Red XIII's teeth found their mark and delved into her sunken sockets. Jenova screeched loudly as blood and lumps of jelly poured freely down her face. She could do nothing to defend herself—her arm was too short, her body too large. All she could do was thrash her small head this way and that and try to throw the hound from her face. But Red XIII had dug his claws deep into her flesh and would not let go.

"Hey, Red!" came Barret's voice from below. "Get away from there!"

Red XIII complied, giving Jenova one last, vicious bite before jumping away. Though now blind, Jenova could smell the hound nearby and swung her left shoulder with all her might. Red XIII turned his body out of the way and instead used the misshapen flesh as a springboard, pushing himself away so that he was safely behind her. Then Barret opened fire, letting dozens of ice bullets rip through the flesh around Jenova's face and neck.

That was just the beginning of the assault. As Barret fired, Tifa charged forward. The fighter's fists were clenched and the diamond studs on her knuckles were glowing red with flame. Tifa leaped up as Barret quit firing, and landed on the hard, ice-covered flesh in front of Jenova's face. Jenova's sightless eyes, black and dull, looked around blindly.

"Take THAT!" yelled Tifa.

Tifa punched forward, striking Jenova's jaw with her right fist. The sheer force of Tifa's expert punch sent the calamity's head flying back with a loud, painful crack. The ice around the head shattered and fell away, taking the top layer of flesh with it. Then Tifa attacked with her left fist, knocking the head sharply to the right. Jenova gave a garbled cry as her jaw fell open, broken. Her tongue lolled out of her broken jaw, black and thick with blood.

Still Tifa was not finished. Without waiting for Jenova to retaliate, she grabbed the limp head of the calamity and brought it swiftly to her knee, butting it firmly against her. The sound of cracking bone could be heard, but Tifa did not care. Releasing the head and spinning smoothly around, the fighter swung her leg and kicked it straight across Jenova's warped face. Tifa continued to kick and punch, using all the moves she knew from Dolphin Blow, a swift upper kick, to Meteodrive, where she grabbed Jenova's head and thrust it back.

Finally, Tifa jumped back from Jenova's head. She drew her fist behind her, drawing all the power of her Fire materia into her fist. The flames gathered around her hand, compressing and contracting into a sheer ball of flame. With a mighty cry Tifa punched forward, slamming the ball into Jenova's chest.

The force of Tifa's punch sent Jenova flying backward. A shockwave filled the air as she was forced back, tumbling over herself as she careered over the rocky path. She slammed into a large piece of jutting rock, causing it to shatter beneath her heavy bulk. Tifa landed on the ground, the flames dissipating around her.

Slowly, steadily, Jenova stood up. The multiple attacks—the stab wound in her back, the chunks cut from her body, the bites to her neck—had left her weaker than she had expected. The collision with Leviathan had severely damaged her insides—she could feel the blood filling in the depths of her stomach and other vital organs. Pain filled her from every point on her body. Pain caused by the humans.

Jenova became so enraged by the humans that she sought to end their lives in a single strike. Though blinded and with a broken jaw she roared loudly, her roar sounding more like a garbled cry. She spread her shoulders wide as though they were wings, and cried again. She cried to the heavens, drawing upon all the energies that gave her power. Yes, she would end the lives of these humans in one strike.

As Jenova roared, a strong wind began to blow. It was a tropical wind, unbearably hot to the touch and filled with the bitter scent of acid and rotting flesh. The wind came from Jenova's body, powered by her body and getting stronger the more she roared. Her sightless eyes were turned to the starry sky above.

The hot wind struck Cloud and his friends' seconds later. The eight of them cried out and tried to shield themselves from the bitter wind as it tried to force them back. The wind was hot and burned against their skin, making their skin tingle. Barret stood in front of Tifa as she held onto his shirt for dear life, shielding her from the wind.

Cait Sith had been caught up by the wind and was once again rolling over the rock. He ended up rolling dangerously close to the edge, when an arm suddenly wrapped around him and pulled back. Cait held onto his crown and looked up.

It was Yuffie. The ninja was biting her lip painfully as she pulled him close to her, trying to keep her own balance now she was left open to the wind. Her younger body and more delicate frame burned underneath the hotness of the wind and Yuffie cried out. She felt like she was on fire! The pain became so unbearable that she lost her battle for balance and tumbled to the ground, pushed back by the burning wind. She rolled over the ground, taking Cait with her.

This time it was Yuffie who was saved as a cloud of red zipped past her, picking her up and taking her to the safety of a large rock. A red cloak fell over her, along with a fiercely cold liquid. The burning cold turned into a soothing cold as it fell over the burns across her back and shoulders. Steadily the burns softened and faded. Finally able to open her eyes, Yuffie looked up.

"Vincent!" she exclaimed. Vincent looked back at her, his eyes expressionless. He lifted his cloak from the ninja and threw it back over his shoulders. Then he stood and made to walk out from the rock wall where he had moved her.

"Stay here," he ordered. Before he stepped out, he glanced back. "Look after Cait," he added. Then he was gone, running back to join the others.

"What?" Yuffie demanded angrily. She looked down. Cait was limp against her, his eyes dazed and his tongue lolling limply out of his mouth. The cat had fainted. "What! Hey!" Yuffie cried, shaking the cat fiercely. "No fair! Wake up!" The cat did not respond. Angrily Yuffie thumped him on the head, and then sank to her knees, sulking.

By the time Vincent rejoined the fray, the wind had receded and the remaining companions were making their final assault on Jenova. Tifa had just leapt back from another ferocious martial assault when Vincent drew his gun and joined Barret in shooting the creature down. The two together used their Ice materia to shoot gaping holes into Jenova's flesh. Cid threw his spear at the calamity. It pierced the base of her neck, sending blood flying.

Cloud finished slicing through Jenova's shoulders and returned to the ground, landing between his friends. Turning to face Jenova, he raised both swords above his head and closed his eyes. The materia placed in both swords flashed red. Cloud opened his eyes and thrust the two swords down, sending two large beams of red light hurtling toward Jenova.

The two beams separated as they reached Jenova, curving away from the calamity and flying out into the distance around the great crater. The two beams expanded and began to take shape. The light flickered and wavered, swirling as the forms of two powerful dragons emerged from them. The dragons, similar by name but different in power, spread their wings and began to fly back toward the path.

The dragon Bahamut attacked first. The large black dragon beat his great wings against the air, pushing his body ahead to reach Jenova. Before he reached the calamity Bahamut pulled his body back, bringing his powerful black legs forward. The thick talons of his feet found their mark and delved into the marred flesh of Jenova's shoulders. Using the momentum of his flight Bahamut flapped his wings and lifted Jenova up. Roaring as only a dragon can, he threw Jenova into the air.

A second set of legs grabbed onto Jenova's flesh and carried her higher into the air. Neo Bahamut, Bahamut's more powerful form, was a fiercer dragon covered in dark red scales. Age and wisdom caused this dragon to grow a second set of wings, making him lord of the skies. This dragon lifted Jenova easily, carrying her up and up into the air. Bahamut followed, flying past the older dragon and landing fierce bites and slashes on Jenova whenever he could.

When the two dragons had taken her high enough, they let Jenova go. The calamity fell from the skies for a second time, the wind howling past her as she fell to the ground. Bahamut hovered in the sky and opened his mouth. From the depths of his throat a burning light grew, and the air around him began to shimmer and draw together. The air took shape into a ball of light, which Bahamut then fired down in a long beam of light.

The flare pierced Jenova as she fell, pushing her down faster until she smashed into the ground. Clouds of rock and dust flew into the air around her, blocking her from view. Bahamut raised his head to the skies and roared loudly, while Neo Bahamut circled him, roaring in triumph. The two dragons continued to roar even as their bodies faded into the night.

On the ground, Jenova lay unmoving amidst the rubble on which she had landed. Her tentacle-arm, half-severed by Cloud's sword, twitched feebly before falling limp onto the ground. Around her the companions watched, waiting for the inevitable moment when her body would dissolve into the planet.

They did not have to wait for very long. As Jenova passed away for the third time, her body bubbled and hissed as it began to dissolve and disperse into liquid. She dissolved into black water, which seeped steadily across the rock and dripped off the sides of the path into the Lifestream at the bottom. As the black water touched the green water it fizzed and disappeared, sinking from view. In less than a minute all traces of Jenova's presence were removed from view… Except for one.

Floating about half a metre off the ground was the Black Materia. That was all that remained of Jenova after she disappeared into the Lifestream. The group stared in awe as the seemingly harmless black ball floated gently in front of them, rising up and down steadily as though breathing. Nobody dared to step forward and take it.

Eventually Cloud stepped forward. His head was lowered in thought and he did not look at anyone else. He almost seemed to be listening to something. After a few moments he nodded, as though he had just come to realise something.

"Jenova's cells……" he said softly, more to himself than to the others. They all watched him as he walked toward the Black Materia. "Hmm. So that's what this is all about. The Jenova Reunion…" He closed his eyes, trying to remember… what?"

"Not Sephiroth!?" exclaimed Tifa. "You mean all this time it wasn't Sephiroth we've been after?"

Cloud shook his head. "I'll explain later," he said. "Right now, the only thing I'm thinking about is beating Sephiroth."

Tifa lowered her eyes. "But Sephiroth is…"

"He's here," said Cloud. He pointed up into the rocky canyons before them. "The real Sephiroth is just beyond here. It's both incredibly wicked and cruel… But it's releasing a powerfully strong will from deep within the planet's wound."

While everyone pondered over what Cloud was saying, the ex-SOLDIER stepped up to the Black Materia and picked it up. There was something different about the Black Materia this time round. When he touched it, it sparked with energy, as though fighting for life. Cloud clasped his other hand over it and turned back to his friends.

"…The Black Materia is back in our hands," said Cloud. He looked down at the black ball resting in between his palms. Everyone's gazes followed, staring at the materia in awe and trepidation. Cloud raised his eyes, looking at his friends. "Now all we have to do is defeat Sephiroth and that'll be the end of it."

"We'd better not take the Black Materia any further," Tifa said. "Why don't you give it to someone else to hold onto?"

Cloud was about to question Tifa, but then stopped as he realised why she said that. He remembered what happened in the Temple of the Ancients. It was his fault they had to come here to get the Black Materia in the first place. And looking into the faces of the others, he could see that they remembered, too. Tifa was right… Someone else should hold onto the Black Materia. But who should he give it to?

He looked around at the others. Nobody looked too keen to hold the Black Materia for him, and with good reason. This materia had the power to destroy the very planet on which they stood. Guarding it would be a heavy burden on anyone's shoulders, and was not one many were willing to take. Yuffie conveniently looked away from Cloud, finding the ground much more interesting to look at. Vincent was impassive, but even he did not look too keen.

"No, not the Black Materia, please," pleaded Cait when Cloud looked his way.

"Me and Black Materia just don't mix," Cid said.

Cloud turned to Barret and Red XIII. Barret looked at the Black Materia in distaste, while Red XIII clawed the floor nervously. Both were good candidates. Barret had the strength to defend the Black Materia, though his hotheadedness would surely get them into trouble. Red XIII was destined to be the guardian of Cosmo Canyon, and his speed and skill could take him far away if need be. His mind made up, Cloud walked over to Red XIII and held the ball out. Red XIII stared, his eyes wide.

"You want me to take the Black Materia?" he asked nervously. Cloud nodded. The hound stared, wide-eyed, at the Black Materia. He was about to refuse the charge, until he remembered his grandfather, back in Cosmo Canyon. Bugenhagen would not want him to step down from an important challenge. Red XIII swallowed nervously. "……All right," he said finally. "I understand." He lowered his head, and Cloud clipped the Black Materia to a small materia slot on the back of Red XIII's head clip.

"Don't give it to ANYONE," Cloud warned the hound. "I'm counting on you."

Red XIII tilted his head. The materia was light—he could barely tell it was there. "Cloud, be careful!" he said, giving Cloud a gentle pat on the leg with his paw.

"You never know when Sephiroth may show up…" Vincent said to Cloud sternly. "So don't let your guard down."

"Let's find Sephiroth!" said Tifa, running over to stand by Cloud. Before Cloud could say anything, Yuffie also ran over to join them. Annoyed that she had missed the end of the battle protecting Cait Sith when he fainted, she was determined not to miss any possible battle with Sephiroth. Cloud sighed heavily. Three would be enough, and protecting the Black Materia was more important. Besides, if anyone were going to fight Sephiroth, it would be him and him alone.

"We're going in first!" he said to the others. "You guys stay and keep watch." He nodded to Tifa and Yuffie, and the three of them ran up the path.

Red XIII watched as the three began to run up the path. Suddenly feeling apprehensive, he leaped up and bounded to the front of the group. Clambering onto a large rock, he shouted, "I'll protect the Black Materia no matter what!" as loudly as he could. He prayed they could hear him.

* * *

Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie continued on up the path, leaving the others behind them. They heard Red XIII call after them, but they were too busy running up the path to reply. The crater's edge stood before them only a short distance away, and they were hurrying to make it to the crater before the Shinra found Sephiroth. They pushed on, their muscles burning with fatigue, making their way to the last barrier.

The whirlwind barrier lay just ahead. This was the last of the crater's three barriers, and was also the most intense. As well as the familiar gushing winds and streams of mako energy, there were also bolts of lightning that struck the ground at regular intervals. The energy streaming from the lightning bolts made the hairs on the backs of their necks stand on end. Yuffie's hair seemed to frizz and swell out, making her look comical. Even Cloud's spikes fluffed out in amusing patterns across his head.

It took more than one attempt to pass through the barrier. Just as the winds and mako bursts subsided, the lightning bolts flashed repeatedly and stopped them from moving. There was only one brief moment when the group could attempt to pass—in those few brief seconds after the lightning finished flashing and the winds started to blow once again.

Cloud made the attempt first, stepping up so close to the barrier's edge that he could feel the electric energy of the lightning crackling against his skin. Jenova's acid winds had already slightly burned his skin and made it sensitive, making this more painful than it should be. But he stood his ground and waited for the lightning to stop.

The lightning stopped. Holding his breath, Cloud darted forward. When he was halfway through the barrier he could feel the wind starting up again, blowing through his electrified hair. Cloud pushed himself harder and broke through the other side of the barrier just as the winds exploded into rage. He skidded to a stop and turned back to Tifa and Yuffie. He was safe.

It took more than one attempt for Tifa and Yuffie to get through. Tifa hesitated at first and missed the first opening, making her wait for the next before she broke through. Yuffie, on the other hand, was not at all happy with the situation and very nearly turned around to go back to the others. Then she remembered her loss in the last battle and angrily charged through the barrier the moment the lightning stopped. When she had made it through she yelled triumphantly at the barrier, shaking her fist and daring it to try and stop her again. Cloud and Tifa carried on up the path.

Tifa followed Cloud closely, watching him from behind as they walked steadily up the path. She frowned. Something had changed in her childhood friend since reaching the crater. He seemed more agitated than normal. Not that she could blame him. But his thoughts were focused entirely on finding Sephiroth all the time; it was as though he was incapable of thinking about anything else. Aeris's death had shocked them all, but somehow she thought that Cloud blamed himself more than anyone else.

Tifa lowered her eyes to look at the ground. She knew she ought to tell Cloud, but deep inside she hoped that she was wrong. She hoped she was wrong with all her heart… What would Cloud say if he knew? What if Sephiroth…?

Suddenly the air around her shivered and wavered. Tifa stopped. A bright light fell down from nowhere, piercing her eyes and forcing her to close them. When she reopened them she saw that Cloud and Yuffie had vanished from her sight. The path before her was gone, along with all signs of the crater, the Lifestream, and the sky.

"What is this?" Tifa demanded fearfully. "What happened?" She looked around desperately.

"Calm down, Tifa," came Cloud's calm, cool voice from somewhere beside her. "Sephiroth is near. Anything could happen."

Taking a cautious step forward, Tifa stretched out her hands. She felt about blindingly, trying to find Cloud through the sea of white. She knew he was nearby—she could feel his presence as though he was right beside her. But she could not see him, could not find her. Her heart beat faster as she started to panic. Where was Cloud!?

Tifa started to call out for Cloud, but as she opened her mouth the light suddenly faded. The path in front of her returned, but it was not the path on which she had stood a few moments ago. And the landscape around her was not the same, either. Tifa gasped. The white light revealed an entirely new setting, a familiar setting, and one that was as dear and as painful to her heart as anything could be. Her heart beat faster once again, now not in panic, but in sheer dread. She looked around her, her mouth open, a single tear swelling in her eyes as she uttered one word.

"Nibelheim…"

* * *

**Emerald:** A much better ending there, methinks. X3 


	39. Part 09: Chapter 39

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

"Nibelheim…"

Tifa could barely believe the words as they came out of her mouth. Nor could she believe what she was seeing. The gates of Nibelheim stood right in front of her. She could see the Inn, the well… even old Shinra Mansion on the far side of town. There was a cool breeze on her face, blowing through her dark hair. The wind brought the scent of the mountains into town. Cloud and Yuffie were nearby. Yuffie looked round at the town in disbelief, while Cloud… his face was solemn, almost angry. Tifa looked at him, her hands trembling. This could not be real. It couldn't be…

Tifa was so wrapped up in her thoughts and fears that she did not notice when Yuffie walked past her and peered past the gate into town. "But why Nibelheim?" the ninja was saying, turning back to face Cloud and Tifa. "This is freaky, REALLY freaky!"

Cloud shook his head. "This is an illusion Sephiroth made up," he said. "He's trying to confuse us." Tifa looked at him. Cloud's voice was strangely quiet and sombre. He would not look at Tifa or Yuffie, but continued to look around the town's entrance, taking in everything, placing it over the memories in his mind, and making sure they were right. "It'll be all right," he said, as he looked round. "As long as we know it's an illusion, there's nothing to be afraid of. Come on, let's keep going."

"Yeah, you're right…" said Tifa quietly. She turned on her heel, hoping that if they went backwards, they would leave this horrible illusion behind. She did not want to see Nibelheim anymore. If they left now, then Cloud wouldn't… As she turned, she stopped and gasped. "Look!!" she cried, pointing.

A figure was walking up the path. He stepped out of the cloudy haze that hid the path behind them and into the light. It was Sephiroth. The soldier walked up to the town entrance, taking no notice of the three who waited anxiously on either side of the gate. Yuffie twitched uneasily, her fingers flexing as she gripped her shuriken tightly. Tifa and Cloud did nothing, but simply watched as Sephiroth walked right up to them, stopping just before he reached the gate. Without looking at them, the soldier turned and looked back down the path.

"All right, let's go," he said.

Everyone turned to face the path as three more figures began to emerge from the haze. The first two were Shinra soldiers, just as Cloud remembered them. The first stopped and looked around the town entrance. The second soldier stopped by the broken down truck, looking around anxiously, his face invisible through his helmet. He seemed nervous. First mission, perhaps? Cloud couldn't remember.

The third figure stepped out. Cloud had half-expected his sixteen-year-old self to step out of the haze, anxious about being home for the first time in two years, yet also excited that he was working alongside the greatest swordsman the planet had ever known. But, Cloud reminded himself, this was one of Sephiroth's illusions…

As he had suspected, it was not him who walked between the two Shinra soldiers. It was a different man, taller than Cloud and a good couple of years older than he was. He had a head of spiky black hair that swept across his head and ran down his shoulders. He had strong features, dark eyes, and had an air of confidence that Cloud envied. Strapped across the man's back was the Buster Sword… Cloud's sword. The dark-haired man stood close to Sephiroth and looked round at the town.

Yuffie stared at the dark-haired man. She looked over at Cloud, then at Sephiroth, and the two Shinra soldiers. Shaking her head, she said, "Huh---! Cloud's not here."

Cloud stared at the scene before him, saying nothing. Sephiroth was trying to confuse him, he was sure. He kept telling himself that this was all an illusion—that it wasn't real. The dark-haired soldier, dressed in the same outfit Cloud wore now, was just an illusion. Cloud knew the truth. He remembered it clearly. The people in front of them began to speak, though no sounds passed through their lips. The dark-haired man gestured somewhat familiarly, and Sephiroth responded.

Tifa, watching Cloud closely, tried to gauge his reaction. Cloud was ignoring the dark-haired man completely, and was instead focusing all his attention on Sephiroth. His face was blank, though his eyes burned almost feverishly. Tifa bit her lip. She looked down, closing her eyes tightly. "Stop… Sephiroth," she pleaded softly.

"This is so stupid…" said Cloud angrily.

He wanted to look away and make this illusion stop, but he could not take his eyes off Sephiroth. As he watched Sephiroth began to laugh, like he remembered, with his hand lightly over his mouth to try and stop the laughter. While he laughed there was a flash of light, and all of a sudden Sephiroth, the two soldiers, and the dark-haired man vanished. Yuffie twisted her head round, but could not see them anywhere. While she looked around Tifa turned to Cloud, her face full of concern.

"Cloud…" she said, speaking softly. "It's just an illusion. Don't worry about it."

"I don't want it to be an illusion!" Yuffie shouted angrily. She stamped her foot, kicking up dirt so real it scuffed her boots. "Let's get back to the real world."

As she spoke the white light descended upon them again. The vision of Nibelheim shimmered and faded from view, leaving the three standing once more in an empty world of white. They felt the earth beneath their feet, although they were unable to see it. Cloud shifted uncomfortably on the unseen ground, feeling just a little bit fearful over what Sephiroth might show them next.

"What's---next?" he asked hesitantly.

"Stop it already!!" yelled Tifa.

After a few moments the light began to fade and the three looked around to see where they were. Cloud was not surprised to find them in Nibelheim once again, although this time they were standing high above the town. They stood on the air itself, looking down at the town centre. It almost felt as though they were watching a drama on television, watching as the events unfolded before them.

Nibelheim was on fire. Every building in the town was blazing, with flames licking out of every window and every doorway. As they watched a nearby roof caved in, falling into a burning chasm that was once somebody's home. Here and there bodies were scattered about. They were the bodies of the people of Nibelheim, who had died trying to escape their burning homes. The well in the middle of town was ablaze, sending a pillar of smoke spiralling into the air. The smoke drifted past the three as they looked down at the town. The taste of burning ash filled their mouths. The only building left untouched was Shinra mansion, standing like a shadow over the town.

Yuffie leaned over, her hands on her knees, and gazed down at the town. As she saw the endless sea of flames bursting forth from the houses, her jaw fell open. She had never seen anything like it. Instantly she regretted doubting Cloud when they saw Nibelheim last. "Wow……" she breathed. "I didn't know it was THIS bad…"

"…This is what actually happened five years ago," said Cloud. He looked over the burning town. "But… It's probably not going to be me that's going to come running out of the Shinra mansion. He's going to try and show us another stupid illusion."

Everyone's eyes turned to the Shinra mansion. One of the mansion's double doors was thrown open and a man ran outside. It was the dark-haired man from the Nibelheim entrance. Cloud watched, not in the least surprised, as he ran down the path toward the gates. "See… didn't I tell you?" he said with a sigh.

The dark-haired man paused at the edge of the gates. His mouth hung open, completely stunned by what he was seeing. He walked forward, slowly at first, toward the edge of the flames. When he could feel the heat of the flames burning against his skin he stopped and looked around at the devastation. The light of the flames reflected off his face and eyes.

"Hey, it's you! You're still sane, right?"

The dark-haired man, and the three spectators above, turned toward the shop. Tifa gasped and her heart ached as she saw Zangan, her old martial arts master, standing by the shop's entrance. An injured boy, badly burned, lay at his feet. He looked dead. She stared at Zangan. Her old master… the one who taught her all she knew about fighting and martial arts… He had been in Nibelheim that day. After everything that happened, she never saw Zangan again. Seeing him now made her heart ache. The dark-haired man nodded, and Zangan motioned for him to come over. "Then come over here and help me!"

The dark-haired man did as he was told. He jumped over the flames and ran over to where Zangan stood. After looking down at the dying boy Zangan looked up briefly, allowing Tifa to see his face. The fighter choked, her lips trembling and tears welling in her eyes. Crossly she bit her lip and turned away, unable to watch it any more.

"I don't want to… watch this," she said, close to sobbing. She grabbed hold of Cloud's arm, her head on his skin, and shook her head. "Cloud… don't watch."

The dark-haired man turned away from Zangan and looked around at the burning town. He saw the flames licking out of every doorway. He looked left and saw one of the Shinra soldiers that accompanied him and Sephiroth to Nibelheim, lying unconscious near a burning house. The man shook his head. It was hopeless.

"I'll check this house," said Zangan, drawing the dark-haired man's attention again. The martial arts master pointed to the house near the fallen Shinra soldier. "You check that one over there!" Without a moment's hesitation he turned and ran into the blazing shop, disappearing into the flames.

Cloud looked down at Tifa, surprised at the way she clung to his arm. "…What's wrong, Tifa?" he asked her. "I told you before, right? As long as we know that it's just an illusion, there's no need to be scared."

The scenery flashed, and the three abruptly found themselves standing in the middle of the burning town. The dark-haired man had gone, but the fallen Shinra soldier and the dead boy remained. They could feel the burning heat of the flames as they stood in the midst of the destruction. Yuffie looked around in shock, horrified by what she was seeing. She spotted the boy lying limp by the shop and ran over to him.

"He… hey, are you alright!?" she called. She knelt beside the boy and made to feel his pulse. As her hand touched his flesh, his body shimmered and her hand passed straight through. Yuffie stared at her hand, startled, before she realised what it was. "Oh, a dream!" she exclaimed, blushing as she turned back. "But it felt so real…"

Until that point, Cloud had been standing with his arms folding, tapping his finger impatiently on his arm. Now he stepped forward and looked at the smoke-filled sky. He called out to Sephiroth, his voice loud and piercing against the crackling flames.

"Sephiroth! I know you're listening! I know what you want to say!" Cloud shook his head. "That I wasn't in Nibelheim five years ago. That's it, isn't it?"

The air around them flashed as Sephiroth appeared in front of them. The beginnings of a smirk played on his long, pale face. His eyes, glowing with the power of the mako that filled them, glinted in the firelight. "I see you finally understand," he said.

Cloud walked toward Sephiroth, his eyes held in Sephiroth's shrewd gaze. "What you are saying is that you want to confuse me, right?" the ex-SOLDIER demanded harshly. "But… even making me see those things won't affect me. I remember it all. The heat of the fire… the pain in my body… and in my heart!"

The smile on Sephiroth's face grew wider. He shook his head. "Oh, is that so?" he said, his voice deliberately calm. "You are just a puppet… You have no heart… and cannot feel any pain… How can there be any meaning in the memory of such a being? What I have shown you is reality. What you remember, that is the illusion."

The two locked gazes. The corner of Cloud's mouth twitched and he clenched his fists tightly, as though he was having difficulty controlling his anger. Sephiroth spoke so calmly and so sardonically it infuriated him. He was sorely tempted to draw his sword right there and then, but something stopped him. Swallowing his anger, he unclenched his fists and shrugged. It didn't matter. It was all lies, anyway. What was the point in getting angry over meaningless lies?

"Cloud…" came Tifa's voice.

Sephiroth interrupted her. "…Do you understand?" he asked.

"I don't want to understand," said Cloud. He turned away, his blood beginning to pound painfully inside his head. "But," he added, glancing at Sephiroth through the corner of his eye. "I want to ask you one thing. Why… Why are you doing this?"

Sephiroth's body flashed and vanished. He re-emerged a second later in front of Cloud, standing by the wall of flames in between Yuffie and Tifa. The young ninja and the fighter, startled by his sudden reappearance and how close was to them, jumped up and ran over to stand behind Cloud. The smile on Sephiroth's face widened further, and a chuckle escaped his lips.

"I want to take you back to your real self," said Sephiroth when he suppressed the laughter. "The one who gave me the Black Materia that day… Who would have ever thought a failed experiment would prove so useful? Hojo would die if he knew."

"Hojo!?" Cloud exploded. "What does he have to do with me!?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and looked at Cloud. He seemed amused by the young man's anger. His eyes glinted in the firelight as he explained. "Five years ago you were… …constructed by Hojo, piece by piece, right after Nibelheim was burnt," he said. "A puppet made up of Jenova cells, her knowledge, and the power of the Mako. An in-complete Sephiroth clone. Not even given a number. …That is your reality."

"Cloud…" He looked up as Tifa stepped in front of him. "Don't listen to him…" she begged. Looking down, she shook her head vigorously, sending her brown hair flying across her face. "Close your ears! Close your eyes!"

"What's wrong, Tifa?" said Cloud. "I'm not affected by it. …I wasn't paying attention."

He was lying. She knew it. He was listening, though he didn't know it. The words were playing in his mind—she could see it as plainly in his eyes as she could see him in front of her. In desperation she grabbed his arms, forcing him to face her, to pay attention to her. He had to concentrate on what she was saying and _not_ Sephiroth.

"All that talk of Hojo constructing you is a lie," she said. She looked up into Cloud's eyes. "Don't we have our memories together? Being kids together, starlit nights…" Her eyes fell. Her hands fell to her sides. She trembled.

Behind her, Tifa could hear Sephiroth start to laugh. "Ha, ha, ha… Tifa…" he said in his cool, knowing tone. "Why are you so worried and scared by those words?" Biting her lip in anger, Tifa turned her head away and refused to acknowledge him. Seeing her stubborn refusal to answer made Sephiroth smile harder. "Hmm… Shall I show everyone here what's in your heart?" Cloud looked down at Tifa. Sensing his gaze, Tifa hurriedly turned away, unable to meet his eyes. Sephiroth also turned away, laughing quietly to himself. "Ha, ha, ha…" she heard him chuckle. "You look like you're not feeling well." He laughed again, vanishing as he did so.

With Sephiroth gone, Cloud turned his attention to Tifa. The young woman was refusing to look at him. All he could see was her hair, tangled and windswept after trekking through the mountains. He reached out to touch her, but let his hand fall.

"…Tifa. Is Sephiroth right?"

"Cloud…"

"Why are you so scared?" he asked her. "Don't worry about me. I'm all right. No matter how confused I am, I'll never believe a word that Sephiroth says." He looked to see her response. Tifa did not say anything. After staring at her for a moment, Cloud lowered his head and looked at the ground. "It's true that sometimes I can't figure out who I am. There's a lot of things muddled up in my memories.

"But, Tifa…… But you said, 'Long time no see, Cloud' right? Those words will always support me. I am the one you grew up with. I am Cloud of Nibelheim. No matter how much I lose faith in myself, that is the truth." In front of him, Tifa let out a faint sob. Cloud looked up at her. "That's why you shouldn't be so scared. No matter what anyone else says to me, it's your attitude that counts…"

"No," said Tifa suddenly. Lifting her head, she turned around to face Cloud. Slowly she shook her head. "That's not true, Cloud……"

"What's not? Aren't I the same Cloud you grew up with?"

"That's not what I mean…" she replied. Tifa rubbed her face hard, half-breathing, half-sobbing through her hands. She spoke through her hands, her voice muffled. "I don't know how to say it… Cloud, I need some time… Just give me a little time…"

But time was not on her side. Even as she pleaded for time the burning buildings of Nibelheim shimmered and Sephiroth reappeared. He now stood on the other side of the wall of flames near to Shinra mansion. His form half-shrouded by the flames, he looked at them with an almost sympathetic face. Almost.

"Cloud…" Sephiroth called over the roar of the flames. "Don't blame Tifa. The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words, is the power of Jenova. Inside of you, Jenova has merged with Tifa's memories, creating you. Out of Tifa's memory…… A boy named Cloud might've just been a part of them."

Before anyone could say anything, Sephiroth vanished again. Cloud stared into the flames, watching as they flickered and licked the air. What Sephiroth was saying… couldn't be real. He had been here five years ago. He was sure of it. The memory of the flames, the pain he felt as he saw his hometown go up in flames… Tifa being struck. That pain was real. It couldn't be… constructed. He couldn't have been… constructed. The throbbing in his mind worsened and he groaned.

"Cloud…" Cloud opened his eyes as he heard Tifa's soft voice beside him, felt her gentle touch on his arm. That touch was the only real thing to him right now. More real than Sephiroth's words. More real than the pain in his head. "Please…" he heard Tifa say to him. "Don't think right now."

"Ha, ha, ha…… Think, Cloud!" Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie spun around to find Sephiroth standing behind them, laughing manically. Suddenly Sephiroth stopped laughing, as though a thought had occurred to him. "…Cloud?" he repeated, looking at the ex-SOLDIER. "Ha, ha, ha…… Oh, excuse me. You never had a name…"

"Shut up… Sephiroth," said Cloud quietly, putting a hand to his hurting head. The anger from his voice was gone. In its place was a strange weariness. Cloud suddenly looked very tired. Tired of fighting… Tired of resisting… Tired of hating.

Sephiroth tilted his head as he gazed at Cloud questioningly. "You still don't understand? Then…" He turned away for a moment, and then turned back. "Do you remember the picture that was took before we headed for Mt. Nibel? …Tifa, you remember, right? But there is no way he would know." Cloud shrugged, while Sephiroth looked around the burning town. "Now… what happened to that picture?"

The soldier looked around for a short time before finally spotted the injured boy lying near the shop. Sephiroth strolled leisurely over to the kid and knelt down beside him. The boy was dead now. The camera was still in his hands, burnt and melting over his hand. The boy clutched a photo in his other hand.

"……Is this it?" Deftly Sephiroth opened up the young boy's ridged fingers and lifted the photo from his grasp. Blowing on it to remove traces of ash, he headed back to Tifa and Cloud. "…Do you want to see it?" he asked. "It turned out pretty good."

"Cloud… don't…" warned Tifa.

Cloud swallowed nervously. His mouth and throat were dry. "I… should be in the picture," he said, his voice faltering. His eyes darted back and forth between Sephiroth and Tifa. "Even if I'm not, no worry. This is all just an illusionary world Sephiroth made up."

Slowly and hesitantly, Cloud walked over to stand by Sephiroth. The much taller soldier towered over him like an overbearing shadow, making him feel small and pathetic next to him. The photo was in Sephiroth's hands, its image hidden by his gloves. When Cloud stopped, the soldier held out the photo. After forcing his hands to quit shaking, Cloud took the photo and looked down at it.

The first person he saw was Sephiroth, standing taller than anyone else on the right of the picture. His face was expressionless, as though he did not really want to be there. Beside him was Tifa, aged just fifteen, with her ever-present smile. She held onto her hat tightly. Standing where he should have been was the dark-haired man again, arms folded and standing confidently at the picture was taken. Cloud… was not in the photo. Gradually Cloud let his hands drop to his sides. The photo slid from his limp fingers and fluttered onto the floor. Sephiroth was gone.

"…Just as I thought," he said. His voice was very low, almost a whisper. When he spoke it was to himself only. "This picture's a fake. The truth is in my memory. …Five years ago, I came back to Nibelheim, to inspect the reactor. I was sixteen. The town hadn't changed at all. What did I do…? Oh yeah… I saw my mom. I saw the people in the town. Yeah, I went to Tifa's room. There, I… I played the piano! I looked in the drawers! I read the letter addressed to Tifa! I spent the night and went to the reactor in Mt. Nibel. I was excited about it. Because that was my first mission after becoming First Class in SOLDIER."

A sharp pain shot through his mind. Cloud winced and touched his temples, shaking his head gently. Unwanted questions began to run through his mind. Questions he could not find the answers to. "…SOLDIER, First Class?" Cloud said, shaking his head again. "…SOLDIER? When did I enter SOLDIER?"

The pain was increasing. Each time Cloud tried to recall the memories he knew should be there, the pain worsened and pushed away the memories he so desperately wanted. A sharp stab of pain hit him behind his eyes and Cloud gasped. He clutched hold of his head, digging his nails harshly into his skin so that he could claw out the memories and drag them to the surface. His body began to shake uncontrollably as more questions came unbidden to his angst-ridden mind.

"How did I join SOLDIER?" he cried. He fell to his knees. His hands eventually drew blood, which slicked down his fingers and hands. "Why… why can't I remember?" He struggled to sit up. "I'm… I'm…"

Suddenly he stopped. He let go of his head—the side of his head dripped with blood clawed by his hands. Shakily he stood up, faltering a little at first but regaining his balance. He did not look at Yuffie or Tifa, who were watching in silence close by.

"……Cloud?" said Tifa.

"Let's go, Tifa. I'm… I'm all right."

* * *

**Emerald:** Cloud-kun!!! T.T You know, it's very hard to write about someone having a nervous breakdown when you've never had one yourself. Not that I want one. XD Anyway, I'm impressed I managed to stretch this for a whole chapter. Next chapter should be the last one, folks! And as to why I chose Yuffie to come along… A) She's my fave female character, and B)I think I forgot to choose someone else. Oh well. 


	40. Part 09: Chapter 40

**Final Fantasy VII: The Story 2nd Instalment**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Forty**

Deep inside the great North Crater, past its three arduous barriers and winding, rocky paths, there was a secret cavern that lay veiled from the rest of the world. Until five years ago, not a single soul had set foot in this cavern. Its secrets—secrets that had lain buried for more than two thousand years and were as old as the planet's wounds—had not been disturbed since that time. The intruder of five years previous had done nothing to awaken the planet's darkest secret and so it continued to sleep, watch, and wait.

Now a number of people were entering the cavern. There were three in total. The first was Rufus Shinra. The folds of his long white coat swayed gently behind him as he walked at a steady pace into the cavern. As he passed through the cavern's entrance he was suddenly bathed in a dazzling blue light coming from somewhere above him. He stopped and looked into the light.

Behind him came Scarlet. The woman walked boldly and with poise, strolling into the cavern as if she owned it all simply by being there. Her red silk dress reflected the light coming off the walls. As she gazed upon the contents of the cavern her thin lips widened into a covetous grin. She did not gaze upon the glowing rock face and bask in its beauty as Rufus did. When Scarlet looked at the crystalline walls her thoughts went immediately to the money. She laughed, her voice resonating off the walls.

"Wow!!" she chuckled. "That's amazing!" The sight of the wall sent pleasurable shivers down her spine as she began to count the capital. Gently she touched her soft lips with the tips of her fingers. Hungrily, she bit the tip of her finger.

As Scarlet walked closer to inspect the glowing wall, the third and final person entered the cavern. Hojo walked into the cavern with his hands behind his back. He looked around the cavern with only vague interest, noting every detail down in his mind for future examination. Though he was impressed with the levels of mako flowing in this obviously important cave, it was not the most important thing on his mind. His thoughts were on something far more important than the Shinra's hopeless search for the Promised Land. He glanced around the cave once more, thinking.

Scarlet stopped beside the wall. She leaned over to inspect it, the side of her dress falling teasingly over her thighs. Though the wall was dark it glowed with a dark blue hue—a sign of the compressed mako that made it. Satisfied, she turned her gaze upward and gasped. Up in the high reaches of the cavern, a giant cocoon of branches wound their way across the roof. The branches were built like a web or giant nest.

The source of the cavern's light came from above, as the mako wall from outside shone down through the crater and flickered through the branches. The light above the branches was so bright they could not see what lay beyond it. What they did know, however, was that it was rich in mako.

"It's all Materia!!" said Scarlet in awe.

"The outside is rich with Mako energy," said Rufus, also looking up at the cavern roof. "The inside is a treasure trove of Materia. This is truly the Promised Land."

Behind the two, over by the cavern's entrance, Hojo snorted noisily. "There is no such thing as the Promised Land," the scientist said scornfully. Scarlet turned to look at him. Hojo looked around the cavern in distaste, before turning his nose up at it all. "It's a legend… an old wives' tale… …It's utterly ridiculous."

Ignoring Hojo's blasé remarks, Rufus continued to gaze up at the mako-filled cavern. He smiled. "Everything's as I imagined it to be. Isn't it splendid?" Hojo guffawed loudly. Rufus frowned and glared at the scientist angrily, his blue eyes blazing. "It is that kind of dullness that makes you a second-rate scientist," he said sharply. Hojo said nothing and turned away from the president, instead focusing his attentions on the cavern entrance.

Rufus continued to glare at the bumptious scientist, considering sending him back to the airship. Suddenly the cavern began to shake violently. The Shinra president rocked from side to side, his arms spread to keep his balance. Scarlet struggled to stay on her feet in her ridiculously high heels. The sound of a roar rumbled from the depths of the mako wall. The three turned to face the wall.

"What's happening?" Rufus demanded.

Regaining her balance as the quake subsided, Scarlet stepped forward to examine the wall. As she approached something moved within the wall and she stepped back rapidly, her eyes wide with fright. "It's coming from within the wall!" she cried, near hysterical. "Something's in there! It's moving!"

"Weapon… Then it really does exist…" Hojo murmured softly to himself. Scarlet and Rufus turned round to face the elder scientist. As the two turned, a large outcrop in the rock face opened up. A large eye peered through the opening, its iris and elliptical pupil the same texture and shade as the rock. "I didn't believe in it," Hojo said, as the eye blinked at them and then closed again. No one saw it move.

"What does this mean?" Rufus asked him.

Slowly Hojo turned around to face the president and Scarlet. Truth be told, he had almost forgotten that they were there. But it was no matter. They would learn what Weapon was soon enough. After looking at Rufus, to Scarlet, and back to Rufus, he began to recite what he knew of Weapon. "…Weapon. Monsters created by the Planet. It appears when the Planet is in danger, reducing everything to nothingness. That's what was stated in Professor Gast's report."

"I never saw that report…" said Rufus, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. He crossed his arms and stared hard at the Professor Hojo. "Where is it?" he asked.

Hojo smiled and turned away. He tapped the side of his head. "Here, right here."

"You keep a lot of things to yourself," said Rufus, scowling at him. Behind them, the eye of Weapon opened once more, fixing its piercing stare upon the three.

* * *

Meanwhile, Red XIII and the others were still waiting on the windy path outside of the crater. They knew nothing of the events occurring inside the crater, nor did they know about their friends' encounter with Sephiroth shortly after leaving them. But as time ticked by, Red XIII became more and more concerned. He found himself unable to keep still. He paced around until Barret ordered him to sit and keep still. Red XIII obeyed, but his tail continued to twitch. Where were they? 

Every now and then, Red XIII would stop and looked back at the Black Materia, which was still clipped behind his ear. He still felt very uneasy about having such a powerful and very dangerous piece of materia in his possession, and he had to keep checking to make sure that it was still there. He could not let Cloud down. He could not let the Black Materia fall into anybody else's hands.

After checking the Black Materia, Red XIII looked around at the others. They were quiet and solemn, waiting patiently. The hound's tail twitched. The silence was making him uneasy. He needed to hear something… anything!

"I wonder how Cloud and the others are…" he said suddenly, glad to hear the comfort of his own voice in the silence. No one paid attention to him. That did not surprise the hound, but he continued anyway. "It's hard to believe… such a small piece of materia is able to destroy the Planet…"

Red XIII lowered his head and sighed heavily. The air around him flashed. The hound jumped up in astonishment as he saw that the others had vanished. The path was empty. They had been standing beside him just a moment ago but now, in the blink of an eye, they had gone!

As he watched, the air began to thicken as green-black smog descended upon him. It seeped in from nowhere, hiding the path and the crater from view. It blocked even the bright glow of the mako below him. Red XIII backed up nervously as the vapour spread underneath his paws. Fear crept over Red XIII. The fur on his back and neck stood up straight as he looked through the green-black landscape he was now in.

"What the!? Is everyone all right?" Red XIII called. His mouth felt muffled and sticky, as though it had been stuffed with cotton wool or glue. His words were dull, barely passing through his jaws before vanishing into the emptiness. There was no reply. Desperate to hear someone's voice, Red XIII ran forward, his head twisting left and right in a frantic search to find somebody—anybody! "What's going on?" he yelled as he ran. "Where am I? Don't leave me alone!"

"Red XIII, you're here! I'm so glad!!"

Red XIII stopped in delight as he saw Tifa running towards him. So glad he was to see her smiling face that he almost pounced on her, but he kept himself in check. Tifa ran toward him, her face red and breathless, as though she had been running for a long time. As she slowed and stopped, the green-smog evaporated, revealing the path once more. But Red XIII barely noticed, so happy he was to see her.

"Tifa!!" he said happily, and bounded over to her. He was so overjoyed he didn't notice the difference in her scent. A difference he would have noticed—should have noticed—if it were not for the confusion. "Something is strange…" the hound said to her. "Why was it dark all of a sudden and where is everybody?"

"Everyone's waiting!" Tifa interrupted him, leaning over and panting heavily. After pausing for a brief moment to take a few deep breaths, she looked up pleadingly at Red XIII. "Cloud's in trouble! Please come. Help us!" She pointed to the crater. "Over there!" Tifa looked back at Red XIII, her eyes desperate.

Seeing the look in Tifa's eyes pushed away any doubts he might have had. "R, right!" he said, standing up. "I'm not sure I understand… But I'll go if you want me to." Giving her a reassuring nod he ran forward, running with all his strength toward the crater. Tifa watched him go, a grateful look in her eyes.

When Red XIII disappeared over the ridge, Tifa turned away from the crater and looked down the path. A strange smile spread on her face and she chuckled. "And remember…" she said. Her body began to flicker, her image fading. Then it vanished. "…The Black Materia!" finished Sephiroth, spreading his arms and laughing.

* * *

"Mr. President…" said Scarlet, her eyes wide and trembling as she looked around the cavern. "I've got a bad feeling about this place…" 

Rufus nodded in agreement. He was beginning to feel the same. When they entered the cavern it had been peaceful and serene. Now a sense of malevolence was beginning to grow deep within the cavern walls. Whatever it was that was moving in there… Weapon or otherwise… clearly did not want them in there any longer.

"Hmm… maybe we should go back to our ship now," he advised, turning to her. "We need to prepare for the inspection anyway." Scarlet nodded, thankful.

Scarlet and the president turned to go. Only Hojo remained where he was. The Shinra scientist continued to gaze around the cavern, his eyes occasionally straying to the network of branches that crisscrossed across the top of the cavern. There was nothing. Sighing in disappointment, he turned to follow the president.

Suddenly the cavern flashed white and three figures appeared in the middle of the chamber. It was Tifa, Cloud, and Yuffie, returned to their actual location when Sephiroth's magically induced illusion ended. The two women were staring in silence at Cloud, whose head was lowered and had his back to them. His shoulders had sagged. He did not seem to notice the change in location. Scarlet, recognising the party from the reports received from Heidegger and the Turks, glared at them.

"Hey!!! Where did you come from?" she shouted at them.

Tifa and Yuffie glanced anxiously at Cloud, who had not moved since Sephiroth's departure. The swordsman let out a soft sigh before slowly lifting his head. "…Don't know…" was all he said in reply. He turned to face those behind him. His face was weary, his eyes heavy. There was a strange isolation about him, like all the life and will to fight had been suddenly drained from him. The look startled the likes of Tifa and Yuffie, and even Rufus, who raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Cloud shook his head. The throbbing pain in his mind had deadened now, leaving just a tiny pulse echoing in his mind. But the voice was still there. Struggling to raise his eyes and meet the gazes of the others, Cloud spoke. "This place is going to get rough," he said. "Better leave things to me and get out of here while you still can!"

"Leave things to you?" said Rufus doubtfully. "Hmph… I don't know what you mean." His eyes narrowed and looked at Cloud. Cloud stared back at him, holding his gaze for only a brief moment, before he hurriedly turned away and looked at the floor.

"This is where the Reunion is happening," he answered. His lips began to tremble, and he fought to control them. "Where everything begins and ends."

"Cloud!!" shouted Tifa. Unable to watch this any longer, she started to run forward.

Then Tifa stopped as the sound of running feet echoed down the tunnel and Red XIII ran into the cavern. The hound was panting heavily, breathless after running all the way from the outside of the crater. He looked around warily at the inside of the cave. He saw Yuffie, the people from Shinra and, to his surprise, Tifa. Then he saw Cloud, and quickly remembered why he had come. He bounded over to Cloud.

"I'm here! I'm here to help you, Cloud!" the hound called, stopping by the cave door.

Slowly, steadily, Cloud raised his head. His head throbbed as he moved. Holding his head in both hands, he shook it gently. The pain was growing again. It was spreading from his mind to the back of his eyes—sharp jolts of pain that made his vision waver and darken. When he looked up he saw Red XIII. The air around him had blurred to hazy fuzz, leaving only the hound in clear view. Cloud took a few unsure steps. The pain returned, sharper than before—_he_ was becoming impatient. The swordsman paused for a moment to shake his head once more, before walking the last few steps toward Red XIII.

"Thanks… Red XIII," said Cloud, his voice sounding strained and flat despite the vastness of the cavern. He looked up at Red XIII. The haze had spread around the hound. Now only his head was clear. Cloud blinked. "Where is the Black Materia?"

"Cloud!!" yelled Tifa again.

Red XIII replied, "It's safe. I'm holding onto it." To prove to Cloud that he still had it, he tilted his head to the side, revealing the feathery clip he wore just behind his ears. In the clip's thick metal band was the Black Materia, resting soundly in its curved slot. The materia's black surface was dull, though a cloudy night blue was swirling inside it. Cloud's eyes widened a little as he saw it and he smiled a little. Then the smile disappeared as Cloud turned his eyes to the ground.

"I'll take it from here," he said, his voice a whisper. "Give me the… Black Materia."

"You can't hear my voice?" she said, shouting as loud as her voice would let her. But her words did not seem to reach Cloud and Red XIII. The sound of her voice died before it could reach him. Either that or Cloud had chosen to ignore it—to block it from his hearing. He was drifting away from her. Tifa very much wanted to run forward and grab him, to stop him from doing what he was doing, but she could not move. Whether by her will or not, she could not move. All she could do was watch.

"Are you all right, Cloud?" asked Red XIII, craning his neck to look up at Cloud. The swordsman nodded slowly. Red XIII shifted nervously, his claws scratching the surface of the rock. Finally, he made up his mind. "Then… here you go. I was a little apprehensive holding this thing."

Tifa's eyes widened. "No, don't!!! Please stop, Cloud!"

Cloud stepped up and took the Black Materia from Red XIII. The hound sighed with relief and shook out his mane, glad to have the burden of carrying the materia taken from him. Cloud stepped back, holding the materia close to his chest like he was cradling a dear child. He looked up. He had a sad, almost forlorn smile on his face.

"Thanks…… Leave the rest to me," he said. Even as he spoke an image of Sephiroth burned in the back of his mind. The long, silver lengths of hair that framed his face shimmered around a wide smile. Sephiroth's glowing eyes were wide and expectant, the pupils contracted into dots, eyeing the Black Materia impatiently.

_Come on. The Black Materia._

The image faded. Holding the Black Materia firmly in his hands, Cloud slowly turned to face everyone in the cavern. Rufus and Scarlet were staring at him, their confusion plainly visible in their faces. Hojo was watching him curiously, his thoughts as unreadable as the rock. Yuffie, the proud ninja of Wutai, carefully avoided his gaze. Only Tifa looked at him directly. The fighter stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Everyone, thanks for everything," Cloud began. He looked up and glanced around at everyone in the cavern. "And… I'm sorry." Taking a deep breath, he began to turn to each of his friends in turn. First, he turned to Yuffie. "…Sorry," he said. The ninja swallowed deeply. She could not bring herself to look at him. Cloud turned to Red XIII. "…Sorry," he said to the hound. Finally Cloud turned to look at Tifa, who was beginning to shake. His eyes softened as he looked upon her.

"Especially you, Tifa," he said. "I'm really sorry. You've been so good to me…… I don't know what to say…" He shook his head. "I never lived up to being 'Cloud'. Tifa…… Maybe one day you'll get to meet the real 'Cloud'."

Tifa could not take it any longer. Her legs buckled beneath her. She fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Tears fell unrestrained down her cheeks, trickling off her chin to fall in puddles on the rocky floor. She covered her mouth with her hands, but it did nothing to stop her tears. She wanted to punch the ground so hard that it opened up to the planet's core, where she could give her sorrow to the planet. The sound of her mournful tears echoed throughout the cavern.

Then, over the sound of her tears, came the horrible sound of Hojo's triumphant laughter. "Ha, ha, ha…" the scientist laughed. His face was euphoric. Cloud turned to face him. "This is perfect!!! It means that my experiment was a complete success. What number were you?" Hojo looked down at Cloud's arm. His smile ceased. "Huh? Where is your tattoo?"

"Professor Hojo…" said Cloud hesitantly, walking up to the scientist. "I don't have a number. You didn't give me one because you said I was a failed experiment."

"What the--?" Hojo turned away. "You mean only a failure made it here?"

"Professor… please give me a number. Please, Professor…"

Professor Hojo turned back, his face fierce. "Shut up, miserable failure…"

Cloud sagged, his last sense of self shattering into pieces within his heart. He did not belong here either, it seemed. Suddenly his mind burned with Sephiroth's image and he felt himself being lifted up from the ground, carried by someone else's will. Despairingly Cloud looked up into the nest of branches above, searching for some shred of fellowship within the piercing light. The light was cold and hurt his eyes, but he refused to look away.

He was hovering now, floating in the middle of the cavern just beyond everyone's reach. Cloud glanced down long enough to see everyone staring up at him, startled and afraid. Cloud then closed his eyes and submitted to the force that was holding him. Instantly he shot upward, breaking through the lower canopy of branches and disappearing into the nest.

"Who… was that?" asked Rufus, looking up.

Hojo answered him. "…He's a Sephiroth clone I created after the real Sephiroth died five years ago. Jenova cells and Mako, with my knowledge and skills, have been combined with science and nature to bring him to life. …I'm not wild about the failure part, but the Jenova Reunion Theory has been proven." The professor came forward, his thin lips twisting into a smile. "You see, even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually become one again. That's what is meant by Jenova's Reunion.

"I have been waiting for the Reunion to start," he continued. "Five years have passed, and now the Clones have begun to return. I thought the clones would begin to gather at Midgar where Jenova is stored. But my predictions were not entirely correct. Jenova itself began to move away from the Shinra Building."

Up in the branches of the nest, Cloud sat upside down on a branch. His legs were drawn up to his chest, his forehead resting on his knees. He hugged his arms close to his chest, the Black Materia still in his hands. He held onto it tightly as he listened to what Professor Hojo was saying down below. As he listened he slowly uncurled himself and stood up, glancing down at the gathering below.

Professor Hojo was still talking. "But being the genius that I am, I soon figured it out. You see it was all Sephiroth's doing. Sephiroth is not just content to diffuse his will into the Lifestream; he wants to manipulate the Clones himself."

Cloud sat back down. Yes, that was how it got started, he thought.

"I wondered where the clones were going, but I was never able to figure it out."

I couldn't figure it out either. Cloud leaned his head against the branch behind him.

"The one thing that I did know was that Sephiroth was at their final destination."

Cloud sighed heavily. I wasn't pursuing Sephiroth, he thought to himself bitterly. I was being summoned by Sephiroth. All the anger and hatred I bore him made it impossible for me to forget him. That and what he gave me.

Cloud swallowed hard and pushed himself to his feet. He looked around at the upturned nest. The branches wound around him, piercing through the light. They seemed to grow directly from the rock, pushing steadily downward. Cloud looked around… searching for Sephiroth.

Sephiroth? Sephiroth? I'm here, Cloud said with his mind, knowing Sephiroth would hear him, wherever he was. And I brought you the Black Materia. Show yourself to me. Where are you?

A sudden feeling in the back of Cloud's mind made him turn around. Cloud turned to face the very centre of the nest. Here the branches grew thickest, winding down to a central point a little ways below him. Cloud looked up into the light, where the bottom of a crystal could just be seen poking through one of the upper canopies.

Sephiroth… So we finally meet again.

Cloud stepped up to the edge of the branch. The nest began to shake as he moved, the branches quivering perilously back and forth. The branches supporting the centre canopy snapped, releasing the crystal it held secreted within. The crystal slipped from its grasp, sliding down the few feet toward the bottom. Rocks and twigs tumbled from the nest toward the people below. Rufus and Scarlet ran from the cavern as the twigs fell, Scarlet screaming for her life.

Inside the crystal, a lone figure was sleeping. Though human in appearance, the body from the waist down had gone, dispersed into the Lifestream before the protective crystal could contain it. The torso above was bare, revealing the well-built chest, strong face, and long silver hair of Sephiroth. The swordsman's eyes were closed in sleep. However the spirit inside was all too awake.

The disturbance of the nest caused a great disruption in the cavern. An earthquake began to rupture the walls around them. Small chunks of rock became dislodged from the wall, crumbling to the ground. The ground shook and a deep growling noise rumbled from within the wall.

Even as the rocks fell, Hojo looked up at the nest in delight. "Did you see it!! It's Sephiroth! So he IS here!" The scientist laughed heartily, his eyes burning almost feverishly. "This is perfect! Both Jenova's Reunion and Sephiroth's will! They won't be diffused into the Lifestream, but gathered here!" He laughed again.

"What are you so happy about, Professor?" Tifa barked, her eyes livid as she glared at the mad scientist. "You know what this means, don't you? Cloud has the Black Materia! Sephiroth is going to summon Meteor! Every single person is going to die!"

Hojo simply looked at her and smiled. Tifa clenched her fists tightly. Didn't he care what happened to the planet—to the people that lived on it? She was about to smack that conceited smirk from Hojo's face when Rufus walked back into the cavern.

"What I say now is too little… too late……" he said. "We must evacuate. He looked around at Tifa and her friends. "I want you all to come with me," he told them. "There is still much more I want to hear."

The three companions hesitated. Despite how much danger they were in, with the cavern beginning to break apart around them, the last thing they wanted was to put their lives in the hands of the Shinra. They looked up. Cloud had stepped down from the branch and was now floating in midair in front of the crystal where Sephiroth slept. Red XIII ran forward, shouting over the roar of falling rock.

"Cloud, NO! Stop! Please!"

As they watched, Cloud began to float down away from the crystal. The young swordsman keeled over, holding his head tightly in his hands and moaning as though in pain. Suddenly he was pulled up again toward the side of the crystal.

"Cloud------!!" called Tifa.

It was no use. Cloud could not hear her. The unseen force that held him was pulling him toward the crystal. The sound of the cavern breaking apart and Tifa's voice was drowned out by the call of Sephiroth, demanding the Black Materia. Cloud shook his head, pushing all doubts aside, and moved toward the crystal. He held out the Black Materia as he pushed his hand toward the crystal.

The crystal's surface liquefied at Cloud's touch, becoming a water-like substance that allowed Cloud's hand to enter the crystal. He extended his hand and released the Black Materia to Sephiroth's will. As Cloud pulled his hand away the materia began to glow, emitting a dark black light that filled the crystal and cast an eerie light over Sephiroth's face and torn torso.

Sephiroth's face remained unmoving as the crystal began to vibrate with incalculable power. Bolts of lightning and swirls of dark cloud began to erupt from the materia's surface, filling the crystal with its powerful energy. As the crystal shook the nest shook with it, sending great tremors down the branches toward the cavern walls.

Down below, the eye of Weapon snapped open as the ground began to shake and tremble violently. Tifa and the others fled for their lives as the ground began to burst from the inside, as though something large and powerful was trying to force its way out from deep beneath the planet's surface. The tremors caused the crystal to fall free of the nest, and it fell to the cracking ground. The abandoned nest then fell apart as the waves of mako flowing above crashed down into the cavern like a raging waterfall.

Outside, a great beam of light rose from the depths of the North Crater, bursting past the barriers and swirling wall and up into the night sky. The pillar of light expanded, shattering the mako wall and beginning to spread further across the outer crater. As it moved, the Shinra airship took flight, speeding away from the crater as fast as possible.

Inside the crater, a great being awoke and stepped out of the darkness. Giant in size and covered with a body of great dark blue armour, its yellow eyes flashed as it was brought from the darkness of sleep and into life. Lightning surged past its body as it rose swiftly from the crater, breaking free from the mako light and into the sky, where it vanished into the night.

A long, metallic arm rose from the icy depths. Long fingers, tipped with sharp claws, dug deep into the ice as a second creature climbed from the crater and onto the surface. It was another giant, with shoulders as massive as the inner crater, and emitting a red light from its face, presumably its eyes. As it clambered up from the ice and let its massive frame stand on the planet's surface, it raised its arms and roared.

On the airship above, Cait bounded over the deck toward Tifa and the others, who had gathered at the railing to see what was happening. They saw the two giants emerge from the ice, felt the fear that was brought with them as they broke through to the surface.

Suddenly the airship shuddered, and those on board toppled and fought for balance as the deck tilted from side to side. They turned to find that a third monster had risen from the crater's depths and was hovering alongside the airship. This one resembled a great metallic dragon that rivalled even Neo Bahamut in size and strength. It hovered beside the airship, a red-pink hole in the centre of its chest glowing like a beacon in the night.

The dragon looked down at the airship, which was meagre in size compared to its great bulk. This knowledge was visible in the dragon's eyes, which were as red as fire. The monster roared, and all those on board the airship had to cover their ears to block out the noise. The hole in the dragon's chest began to pulse, and blue ripples of light began to swell in front of it. It was preparing to leave.

The crew of the airship rushed to turn the ship around, and were only halfway through a turn when the dragon surged forward. The shockwave created by the dragon's passing skimmed the side of the airship, causing it to rock precariously back and forth once more.

On deck, Tifa struggled to keep her balance as the deck rocked violently from port to starboard. The surging wind blew her hair in front of her face and fought to knock her over. She in turn fought to stay upright, fighting against the wind. Suddenly the airship rocked forward, knocking Tifa off her feet. She fell hard onto the wooden deck as Barret ran up to her, too late to catch her but quick enough to stop her rolling off the deck. Tifa glanced up at him through eyes watery and bleary from the wind before her eyes rolled back and she passed out.

Barret looked over the starboard side of the airship. The light around the North Crater gathered and exploded as four monsters burst forth from its depths, rising in waves of light into the sky. The first two rose first, exploding into the sky and flying at high speed away from the crater. Two new ones followed it, red and green, zipping through pillars of light into the distance.

As the light around the North Crater began to fade and the monsters disappeared over the horizon, the airship flew away, its passengers wondering what was going to happen next.

* * *

**End of Part Nine**

You have now reached the end of _Final Fantasy 7: The Story 2nd Instalment._ The story will continue on a separate file titled _Final Fantasy 7: The Story 3rd Instalment._

**Coming Soon:**

**Final Fantasy 7: The Story 3rd Instalment**

**Part Ten: Weapon Strikes**


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